Enemy
by Sunny D Writez
Summary: Bonnie and Damon have never been able to stand each other, despite the fact that she's best friends with his brother. Struggling to break free of their own toxic relationships, they find an escape in each other, while desperately trying to fight any feelings that may go beyond the physical. AU/AH
1. LoveHate

**A/N: This fic is All Human. The idea for it came from an original story I was going to do but for some reason I wanted to put a Bamon spin on it, so it's officially a fanfic! Don't worry, I'm not going to abandon Outsider. That story is my first priority.**

**Warning: This story will contain very mature content, hence the rating. There will strong language, violence, elements of abuse, and sexual situations. It will get more lemon-y as it continues. To any Tyler fans, please don't hate me. This fic is AU/AH and I didn't want to use any OCs, so he will be very O.O.C.**

**Now that I've given fair warning I hope you all give this fic a fair chance.**

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. They belong to LJ Smith and The CW. This is for entertainment purposes only. No copyright infringement intended.

* * *

**1 - Love/Hate**

Bonnie Bennett was afraid. This emotion was foreign to her, as Bonnie didn't fear much, but at this moment she was afraid of what was about to happen. Tyler Lockwood was seething, as they stood in the kitchen of their cozy apartment, staring each other down. Bonnie didn't say a word in hopes that he wouldn't explode. Her momentary silence made no difference. Breaking his glare, Tyler picked up the china plate that was sitting on the counter beside him, and smashed it on the floor as hard as he could. The act caused Bonnie to jump.

"Tyler! What the hell are you doing?!" She screamed, frantically. Her china dishes were the last Christmas gift she'd received from her mother before she passed away and he knew this, yet he was picking up another one. She ran toward him but he quickly moved out of her reach.

"Don't you dare fucking touch me!" He hissed. "Pick one, Bonnie. It's either these, or you." _Crash! _There went another one. He moved quickly, and Bonnie had a second to duck as the mug she'd bought him from her family vacation in Florida four years ago, went whizzing past her head and smashed into the wall.

"You're fucking crazy," Bonnie determined as she slowly straightened up. He stood there, glaring at her, his fists balled tight. It looked like he was having an internal struggle to keep from smashing his fist into her mouth. In the five years they'd been together, he'd never put his hands on her. She didn't want to take a chance on that changing tonight.

She started to back away from him as she spoke. "You need to leave," she said, in a calmer tone. "If you break any more of my stuff, I'll call the cops." She turned and headed out of the kitchen toward the living-room. She desperately wanted to get her hands on her phone and head out the door.

"Are you threatening me?" He was following her now. She quickened her pace. "Don't walk away from me! I have some things to say to you!" Her quick pace turned into a sprint when there was another crash behind her. He had kicked over one of two things, their television, or his surround sound speakers. She knew his anger had reached a level of no return if he was breaking his own things. She snatched her iPhone off the coffee table and ran to the door. He moved fast and she barely had it open before he was slamming it shut from behind her.

"You're not going anywhere," he hissed in her ear.

"I shouldn't have to." She tried to keep her voice steady, but the wealth of emotions she was feeling caused it to waver. She turned to face him and tried to look unfazed. "Just leave, Tyler, and there won't be anymore problems. I've wanted out of this relationship for months. I'm much better off without you."

His face contorted into more rage and he advanced toward her but she quickly moved back and held up her phone. "You better not touch me," she advised. "I have no problem calling the police." She really didn't want to have to take it there. Somewhere deep down, she still loved the kid, in spite of his violent temper. It didn't matter, anyway. The option to make good on her threat was taken from her as the phone was pried from her grip and she had to helplessly watch it be thrown against the wall. Her eyes had widened in horror. Her iPhone was expensive, and important to her. He'd just taken it a step too far.

"Who are you going to call now?"

Bonnie's rage boiled over as the reality of what he'd just done sank in. She lost all her composure and common sense and attacked. "Fuck you!" She screamed as she jumped on him, hitting whatever part of him she could get to. He threw his arm up to try and deflect the blows but when she didn't relent, the names and obscenities flying from her mouth, he let out a howl of rage and shoved her with full force. Her tiny body flew and hit the wall hard, taking the breath right out of her lungs, and she had no time to react as his fist came flying at her. It smashed into the wall not even an inch from her face. Her eyes widened in horror as he jacked her up by her shirt.

His beet red face was an inch from hers and he was breathing heavily as he spoke. "If you want out, then **you **leave."

He released her then stepped back. She looked at him with disbelief and hurt, and she saw nothing in his dark eyes. No longer able to fight the tears she flew from the house, slamming the door behind her.

* * *

Bonnie was knocking on her best friend's door ten minutes later. The night was cool and she was hugging herself as she waited. She hadn't grabbed anything, including her jacket, in her haste to leave her home. It took a minute, as expected at this late hour, but the door was opened by a very sleepy Stefan Salvatore. It was obvious he'd been in bed by the state of his hair, and he wore nothing but a wifebeater and a pair of gray sweatpants, his typical bedtime attire.

"I'm so sorry for waking you," Bonnie said, unable to keep her voice from shaking. Stefan's expression instantly turned to one of concern and Bonnie's tears once again started to spill over. "It's just that...me and Tyler..." She couldn't get it out.

"Hey, hey, come here." Stefan quickly wrapped her up in a tight embrace. Bonnie was pressed against his chest and she cried freely, her entire body shaking as she sobbed. He just held her comfortingly, allowing her to let it out.

* * *

Bonnie's well of tears had run dry by the time Stefan was tucking her into bed in one of the six bedrooms of the Salvatore mansion. He was sitting beside her on the edge of the bed and gave her a small smile as she made herself comfortable. She looked even tinier laying against the large double pillows, underneath the huge comforter.

"Feeling any better?" He asked her.

"I do now," she replied. "Being around you always makes me feel a little better."

"I hate seeing you like that, Bonnie," Stefan said. "I've been telling you your relationship with Tyler has been toxic for years. I obviously can't tell you what to do, but you really should consider taking a break from it all."

Bonnie sighed. "I know you're right," she said. "It's just crazy how much you can hate someone you're so deeply in love with."

Stefan nodded. "I've been there," he reminded her. "They say there's a thin line."

Bonnie looked around the room, the biggest in the mansion. "How would Damon feel about me sleeping in his room?" She asked, curiously.

Stefan shrugged. "Doesn't matter, he's not here."

"I hope he stays in Louisiana or wherever he is for another year," Bonnie half-joked, causing Stefan to chuckle. "Visiting you has been a lot more pleasant these past months with the absence of your rude brother."

"You're not the only person to tell me that," Stefan revealed with a laugh. "You need some rest. I'll see you in the morning."

"Good night, Stefan.

"Night, Bonnie." He placed a soft kiss on her forehead before turning off the bedside lamp. Bonnie turned on her side and closed her eyes, listening to the sound of his feet shuffling away. The door creaked open and there was a moment of silence, Bonnie knew he was taking a last look back at her, then it shut. Bonnie relaxed at the sound of his bedroom door shutting down the hall, and she soon drifted off to sleep, feeling much safer here than in her own home.

* * *

The next morning Bonnie was startled awake by the loud sound of a heavy bag hitting the floor. She looked up to see a familiar pair of electric blue eyes glaring down at her. She sucked her teeth and rolled her eyes as she already knew she was about to get a face full of attitude.

"Question. Why the hell are you in my bed?" Damon Salvatore did not look pleased.


	2. Funhouse

**A/N: So sorry guys, but this may be my last update for the next two weeks or so. My brother is coming into town and I won't have time to write while he's here. I'm going to try my best to update Outsider by Monday, but if not it'll be a wait for that story too.**

**Anyway, hope you guys still enjoy this chapter.**

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. They belong to LJ Smith and The CW. No copyright infringement intended.

* * *

**2 - Funhouse**

"What are you doing here?"

"This is my house!" Damon cried.

"Haven't you been living in Louisiana for almost a year," Bonnie replied, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. She threw back the covers and climbed out of the bed.

"That doesn't give you free reign to my room," Damon snapped.

"Take it up with Stefan," Bonnie advised as she stepped past him. "But don't be a jerk about it. I needed a place to crash last night. Why wouldn't he give his bestie the biggest room in the house?" Bonnie's tone was teasing. She hadn't seen Damon in months but it was all too easy for them to fall immediately back into their old habits of annoying each other.

"That's my shirt!" Damon cried as she left the room, referring to the long white tee she was wearing. Stefan had pulled it out of one of Damon's drawers, along with a pair of his own basketball shorts, and given it to her as makeshift pajamas the night before. As icky as she'd initially felt putting on an article of Damon's clothing, she knew there was nothing more comfortable to sleep in than a man's shirt. She spent many nights in one of Tyler's, and sometimes even a pair of his boxers.

"Should've taken it with you!" She threw back at Damon. She descended the stairs, wishing she had grabbed her socks as the floor was cold and her bare feet were freezing. She heard noises coming from the kitchen and headed in there, expecting Stefan was making himself something to eat. She was greeted by his girlfriend, Elena Gilbert, instead.

Elena turned from the pot of tea she was making and smiled at Bonnie when she walked in. "Hey Bonnie," she said, cheerfully. She was dressed in her scrubs and was unsurprised by Bonnie's presence in the house or her state of undress. Bonnie knew this meant Stefan must have already filled her in. "Want some tea?"

"I'm okay," Bonnie said as she settled into one of the stools in front of the counter. "When did you get here?"

"About five minutes ago," Elena replied, as she poured herself a cup. "I wanted to stop by and see Stefan before I went to work. I'm pulling a double."

"Where is Stefan?"

"In the shower," she responded. "I'm guessing you already encountered Damon."

"Ugh, unfortunately," Bonnie said with an eye roll causing Elena to laugh. "And he's still the exact same Damon. What is he even doing here?"

"I'm guessing Rebekah problems." Elena leaned over the counter as she sipped her tea. "Those two are on and off again so much I can't keep track. And I thought Stefan and I were bad in the beginning. We can't even compare to them." Bonnie nodded her head in agreement. Stefan and Elena had started dating for the first time about six years ago, during their junior year of high school. They were both popular and attractive and had connected instantly. Elena was a cheerleader, Stefan was the star of the football team, and they seemed like the perfect match. They both had recently deceased parents, Elena had lost hers the summer before junior year in a tragic car accident, Stefan had lost his mom to cancer as a child then his father to cancer two weeks prior to moving back to Mystic Falls. Needless to say, they were both depressed at the start of the school year and found solace in each other, and fell hard and fast.

Bonnie, who was already friends with Elena, had grown very close with Stefan during this time and she'd tried to warn them both against moving too fast. Of course they didn't listen, and they started fighting a lot and breaking up and getting back together constantly. They broke up again right before graduation. Elena and Bonnie went off to college together, Stefan left town for a little while to stay with his Uncle Zach in Florida, and both dated other people. Bonnie was the only person from back home Stefan had kept in contact with during his time out-of-state, aside from his brother, and it was obvious to her neither he nor Elena were over each other.

Right out of college, Elena got a job as a nurse at the local hospital, with plans to eventually go back to school and get her doctorate, and Stefan was back in town by then. They promptly got back together, and a year later they were still going strong. Bonnie had moved in with Tyler right out of school, and although she had a degree in Education, she was currently helping her grandmother run her antique shop. During this time, Damon had moved to New Orleans with his longtime girlfriend, Rebekah. Now, he was back, which must have meant that relationship had finally met it's end.

"They're both nuts," Bonnie said to Elena in a whisper. "I don't like either of them. They live for drama and chaos. They're perfect for each other."

"Rebekah will be calling him off the hook and Damon will be on a plane back to New Orleans before the week is up," Elena stated, confidently. "What about you? How are you doing?" Bonnie could read the concern in her chocolate brown eyes.

"Stefan told you about Tyler and I, didn't he?"

"He told me you guys had a fight and you needed to get out of the house," Elena explained. "He didn't...hit you, did he?"

"No! No, he didn't," Bonnie said, quickly. He hadn't technically hit her, she had hit him. A lot. She didn't want to tell Elena about the violent tantrums he'd been throwing lately, or the fact that he had been bringing out a formerly dormant violent side of her. She would surely tell Stefan, and Bonnie wasn't sure how'd he handle that information. He'd most likely try to demand her to move out and leave Tyler for good, opining that if he hadn't put his hands on her yet, he would eventually. Bonnie didn't want to believe this. Not _her _Tyler. In high school, he'd been an angry, violent, douchey kid until he and Bonnie started dating. He was soft and loving with her. She always brought out the best in him, and even his mother could see it. She'd never approved of any of Tyler's girlfriends until Bonnie, and she hadn't even warmed up to her until she saw the dramatic change in her son that hadn't come about until their relationship. He'd promised Bonnie she was the one he could never, ever hurt in any way and until the last couple years, he'd lived up to that. Bonnie told herself, if Tyler wanted to keep her in his life, than he would have to make some serious changes.

"I don't know what's happened with us," Bonnie said with a sigh."Nothing is the same anymore. I can't even remember what we were fighting about last night. We fight so often it's all become one big, red, angry blur."

"I'm so sorry, Bonnie," Elena sympathized. "You deserve to be happy. If that means cutting Tyler out of your life, than that may be what you need to do."

"Good morning, ladies," Stefan sang as he waltzed in the kitchen, his happy tone shattering the serious moment between the girls. He stopped in front of Elena with a smile on his face. "Hey, beautiful."

"Hey, handsome," she threw back with a smile before he planted a kiss on her. "I made you some tea."

"Cool," Stefan said as he grabbed a mug. "How'd you sleep, Bo?" Bo was a nickname Stefan had donned Bonnie with a long time ago.

"Pretty good," she said. "It's always weird sleeping in a bed that's not your own. Especially when you think of all the women that Damon has had in that bed. The thought alone makes me feel icky all over."

"Yet you wanted so bad to be one of those women," Damon quipped, walking into the kitchen unexpectedly, "You didn't have to sleep there. I have to tell you, Bons, if I wasn't there, it doesn't count."

"Could you be any more gross?" Bonnie asked rhetorically.

"Yes," he responded, simply.

"Don't start you two," Stefan admonished them. "Damon, you've been back all of five minutes and you're already working people's nerves."

"As long as you're happy to have me back, baby brother," Damon said with a smirk. "That's all that matters."

"I have got to get going," Elena announced than looked to Stefan. "Walk me to my car, babe?"

"Of course." Stefan put down the mug he was drinking from and followed her out of the kitchen, her hand wrapped around his. Bonnie smiled at how cute they were, though feeling a twinge of sadness inside at the fact that she and Tyler rarely had cute moments like that anymore. Holding hands, snuggling, stealing kisses, that all seemed to be a thing of the past.

Bonnie sighed, stood up, and walked over to the fridge. She grabbed a carton of milk out and placed it on the counter, then stood on her tippy toes to get a box of cereal from one of the cupboards. When she turned back around, the eldest Salvatore brother was pouring the milk she'd taken it into his own bowl.

"Damon!" She cried. "That was the last of it!"

"Was it?" He looked at the empty carton with faux surprise. "Oops."

"Nobody makes cereal milk first, you totally just did that on purpose!" She screamed. She was getting a lot angrier than this situation warranted, but with everything she'd been dealing with the smallest thing was likely to set her off.

"I'm not like other people." He snatched the box of cereal from her hands and it took everything in Bonnie not to smack him across the face. Instead, she smacked the bowl of milk off the counter, the majority of it splashing onto Damon's black shirt.

"I wish you would've stayed gone," she hissed then turned and stormed out.

"What the fuck, Bonnie?!" Damon screamed after her angrily. She was satisfied at the fact that she had been able to wipe the smirk off his face.

She jetted upstairs. She grabbed her clothes from the night before out of Damon's room and went into Stefan's to get dressed. She was putting her last shoe on when she heard his voice in the hall, calling her name.

"In your room!" She called back.

He opened the door and lingered in the frame, shaking his head at her. "I really can't leave you guys alone for two minutes?"

"I'm sorry, Stefan," she said. "I've been going through so much shit lately and the last thing I need is your brother trying to piss me off."

"I know." Stefan crossed the room and wrapped his arms around her. "I'm sorry he bothered you." His voice was slightly muffled by her brown hair. They heard a noise at the door and turned to see Damon looming in the frame, looking thoroughly pissed off.

"Get out," he demanded through gritted teeth. Bonnie couldn't help but smirk at his stained shirt. All of his clothes were expensive, ruining any of them was a surefire way to enrage him.

"Don't worry, I'm going."

"Bonnie, you don't have to - " Stefan started to say but she quickly cut him off.

"No, I do, Stefan." She stopped in front of the door but Damon didn't move. He just stared down at her angrily, his blue eyes wide. "Move!" She demanded. He didn't budge. Her patience quickly ran out and she pushed him as hard as she could. Damon was solid, so it didn't move him that much, but enough for her to attempt to squeeze her tiny body past him. He reached out and grabbed her arm, causing her to shout, and a struggle ensued.

"Hey! Hey, stop it!" Stefan ran at them and quickly pulled Bonnie away.

"Don't ever fucking touch me!" Bonnie screamed, trying to swing at Damon but Stefan blocked her.

"Don't touch her, Damon!" Stefan scolded him

"Fuck her," Damon spat.

"Are you serious! Like children, you two, I swear!" Stefan was clearly irritated as he pulled Bonnie to the stairs.

"If he would've moved I wouldn't have had to push him!" Bonnie shouted.

"Don't come back here again!" Damon shouted back.

"Hey!" Stefan yelled at his brother. "Just shut up, okay?"

"Fuck you!" Bonnie was yelling. Stefan placed his hand on her upper back to gently guide her down the stairs. He did not miss these volatile disagreements between his brother and his best friend, and Damon's time away had unfortunately done nothing to change their feelings toward each other. If anything, it seemed to have heightened their animosity.

Once she hit the bottom floor, Bonnie was rushing toward the front door. "Bonnie, wait!" Stefan quickly rushed after her. "Where are you going?"

"Home!"

"You can't. What if Tyler is still there?"

"He's not," she informed. "He has work at this time."

"So, what are you going to do?"

She sighed as she mulled it over. "I'm going to grab some of my stuff and go to my Grams," she decided.

"Are you sure that's what you're going to do?" Stefan had heard this before, but Tyler was always able to talk her into staying and trying to work things out.

"Yes, I'm sure," Bonnie said, opening the door. "Don't worry about it. I'll call you when I get to her house."

Stefan nodded, although he was still unsure. "Ok, don't forget. Love you, Bo."

"Love you too!" She called back at him as she headed down the steps to her car.

Stefan watched her drive off before closing the door. He headed back up to his room and settling onto his bed when Damon, attired in a new shirt, re-entered.

"Why do you always take that little bitch's side?"

"I don't, and don't fucking call her that," Stefan snapped. He lay with his eyes closed as he spoke. Admittedly, he had missed his brother being around, but he knew dude was an ass when he wanted to be. "What happened with you and Rebekah? Why are you back here, Damon?"

"I missed you, brother."

"Seriously."

"She tried to stab me."

Stefan opened his eyes and sat up. "What?!"

"I came home late and she came at me with a kitchen knife," Damon elaborated. His face was completely passive as he said this, as if it was the most normal thing in the world. "She's convinced herself that I'm sleeping with her best friend."

"Who? Haley?"

"Yeah. She's not even my type," Damon said, smugly.

"A hot brunette is exactly your type," Stefan disagreed. He was judging by Damon's previous girlfriends, Rosie and Andie, and a lot of the girls he tended to take home after drunken bar nights. He'd broken the mold with Rebekah Mikaelson, a very pretty, very mean, insanely jealous blonde. He'd dated Rebekah before and during those other two relationships, but for some reason he always ended up back with Rebekah. Even after Stefan told him about the time she drunkenly tried to have revenge sex with him after finding out Damon had hooked up with another girl while they were together. Damon still swore that was the only time he'd ever cheated on her. They made up and moved to New Orleans together, where her family resided. She had a hold on Damon that he just couldn't explain.

"How long are you staying for?" Stefan questioned.

"Indefinitely," Damon stated. "I'm done with Bekah. I'm tired of having to sleep with one eye open." He started to back out of the room. "It's my house too, Stefan. Dad left it to Uncle Zach who gave it to us. Get used to having me back, you need me in your life."

Stefan shook his head and closed his eyes again. He still wasn't convinced Damon was here to stay. It would take something very special for him to leave Bekah for good.

* * *

The apartment was quiet when Bonnie entered. She looked around and noticed the mess Tyler had created the night before was all cleaned up. She was still without a phone, which annoyed her to no end, and she wanted to just get her stuff and get out. She headed into the bedroom and grabbed a suitcase from the back of her closet. She'd barely put her first item in when a voice from behind her startled her. She whirled around to see a sad-faced Tyler standing in the doorway of the bedroom with his hands in his pockets.

"What the hell!" She screeched. "You're scared the hell out of me?!"

"I'm sorry, baby."

"Why aren't you at work?" She asked.

"I couldn't go," he confessed, stepping into the room, closer to her. "I knew you might come back to get your stuff. I couldn't stand the thought of coming back to an empty house." Bonnie looked to the floor sadly. "Baby, please don't leave." He took another step toward her, removing his hand from his pocket and reaching out but she stepped back. "I know I fucked up last night, but it will never happen again. I promise." He looked like he was on the verge of tears. This look was what always broke her. "Just stay. We can work on this. You can't leave me, Bonnie. Please."

She shook her head. "I can't do this anymore, Tyler." She went back to the closet and grabbed an armful of her clothes off the rack. Tyler made a grab for it when she tried to stuff them in the suitcase.

"You can't leave me," he said, desperately.

"Give them to me," Bonnie said in a serious tone. She snatched them back and put them in the suitcase, but before she could zip it up he grabbed it off the bed and her clothes spilled onto the floor. She rolled her eyes. This would've been so much easier if he would've just gone to work like he was supposed to, she thought to herself.

"Fine," she said, calmly. "I'll send for my stuff later. Goodbye, Tyler."

"Bonnie, please!" Tyler's voice was cracking as she walked past him out of the room. "Bonnie, I love you! Bonnie!" She didn't respond and he heard the sound of the front door shutting a moment later. He looked around the empty room before furiously kicking the suitcase. He knew he had no one to blame but himself.

* * *

Sheila Bennett was not surprised when she opened her front door to reveal her granddaughter on the other side. Bonnie's emerald eyes were brimmed with the tears she was fighting to hold back. "Hi Grams," Bonnie said with a smile that didn't meet her eyes. "Is it okay if I stay with you for a little while?"

"Of course, sweetie." Sheila stepped aside and let her enter.

* * *

**A/N: I just want to make it clear that Damon wasn't going to actually _hit _Bonnie, he was just reacting to her trying to shove him. Reviews much appreciated! Love you guys!**


	3. The Resistance

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. They belong to The CW. No copyright infringement intended.

* * *

**3 - The Resistance**

Bonnie placed a plate of blueberry pancakes in front of her Grams before settling into the chair across from her. "You really didn't have to," Sheila told her as she picked up her fork. "I was looking forward to cooking for you again. It's been a long time."

"I wanted to, Grams," Bonnie told her. "Cooking helps me...get my mind off things."

"How long are you going to be here?"

"Not long," Bonnie said. "I'm going to be looking for places. Elena told me she saw a cute townhouse over on Myrtle."

"There's no need to rush," Grams said. "I love having you here, I just wish it was under different circumstances." Bonnie nodded sadly. "How long until you forgive Tyler?"

"Tyler and I are over."

"I've heard this before."

"I know but it's different this time," Bonnie promised. "It's better for both of us if we just move on, and I realize that now." Bonnie's cell buzzed in her pocket and she pulled it out to see Stefan's name on the screen. "Eat up, Grams." She stood and went into the other room as she picked up the phone. She had to revert back to using her old cell again since Tyler destroyed her precious iPhone. She wasn't happy about it but she just couldn't go without a cell.

"How are you doing, Bo?" Stefan's voice crackled from the other side.

"I'm fine," Bonnie replied, though Stefan could still hear a hint of sadness in her tone. "Thanks again for letting me crash."

"Of course," he said. "Are you still at your grandmother's?"

"Yes," she answered. "Don't worry, I haven't gone running back to Tyler, and I'm not going to. Only problem is, I wasn't able to get my stuff from the house."

"Why not?"

"He was there when I went to pick it up," she replied. "He wouldn't let it happen. I don't know what I'm going to do. I don't want to face him again."

"I'll get your stuff."

"No, that's not necessary," Bonnie said, quickly. "I can ask my Grams. He won't give her a hard time, he's terrified of her."

"I'll do it," Stefan stated, firmly. "There's some things I wanted to say to him anyway."

"Stefan, no, please don't make this worse," she pleaded.

"I won't," he promised. "Don't worry about it, Bo. Are you working today?"

"I'm about to head to the shop in a few minutes," she informed. "I should be off by 6."

"I'll grab your things and drop them off at your Grams."

"Okay," Bonnie finally concurred. "Maybe you should bring Elena with you. She can get my clothes, and Tyler might be less likely to flip if she's there. _Might_."

"If that will make you feel better."

"Yes. Thanks, Stefan."

* * *

Damon's brows were knitted together as he studied a picture in his phone. It was taken on his birthday, celebrated in New Orleans on Bourbon Street. A wide, pearly white smile cracked Damon's face as he cheesed for the camera. A happy and slightly inebriated Rebekah, with a party hat on her head, had her arm slung over his shoulder and looked at him with a smile and a look of pure love in her eyes, their faces only inches apart. The picture reflected one of the few periods where the two were purely happy and in love. There had been no arguing or insult-slinging that night, just fun with friends and each other. As he gazed upon the photo the phone started vibrating in his hand, and a selfie of Rebekah staring seductively into the camera popped up on the screen along with her name. This was her third time calling him that day, and he was finding it harder to ignore her.

His thumb was lingering over the Accept button when the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs distracted him. He looked behind him as his younger brother began to pass through the living-room toward the front door while throwing a jacket on.

"Where are you going?" Damon questioned.

"Tyler's."

Damon's face scrunched. "What the hell are you going to see that prick for?" It was no secret that Damon and Tyler heavily disliked each other. They'd had a drunken physical confrontation years ago, and there was no getting the two to make-up since then.

"He wouldn't let Bonnie get her stuff so I'm going to get it," Stefan explained.

Damon rolled her eyes. "Let her deal with her own relationship problems," he advised. "It's pointless to always come to her rescue when she's just going to end up back with him anyway."

"You have no idea how bad their relationship has gotten, Damon," Stefan said. "They had a really bad fight the other night, which is why she had to stay here. And that's also why you need to lay off her for awhile."

"Did he do something to her?" Damon asked, curiously.

"I'm not at liberty to discuss the details of her personal life."

"If one hasn't tried to stab the other, I doubt it's anything that bad," Damon opined. His brother shook his head.

"It's sad that that is what had to be the deal breaker for you."

"What can I say. I've always liked them feisty."

"You're sick, man," Stefan joked as he headed out.

* * *

Tyler was not pleased when he opened the front door to reveal Stefan and Elena on the other side. He had been desperately hoping for Bonnie, so it was a crushing disappointment when he got a Salvatore instead.

"What do you guys want?" Tyler demanded to know.

`We're here for Bonnie's things," Stefan stated firmly.

"Well, you're not getting them," Tyler snapped.

`Tyler, please don't make this anymore difficult than it has to be," Elena pleaded. "Bonnie just needs some space."

`She needs to come home," Tyler disagreed. "Where is she? She won't answer my calls! Is she staying with you? Is she with her grandmother?"

`That is not your concern," Stefan told him. "Your concern needs to be leaving her the hell alone."

Tyler glared at him. "Fuck you, Salvatore!"

Stefan stiffened and stepped closer to him. "Hey, hey!" Elena quickly wedged herself between the boys, who were both grilling each other. "We are not going to do this." She fixed her eyes intently on Tyler. "I am sorry for what you're going through, Tyler, but you really don't want to do anything to make this worse. Just let me in. I'll be quick." Tyler looked down at her and seemed to waver a bit. "When Bonnie is ready to talk, she'll call you." After a moment of hesitation, Tyler sighed and stepped aside. Elena rushed into the house and Tyler blocked the doorway again before Stefan could make a move.

"You're not stepping foot inside my house, dick!" Tyler snapped.

"Let's get something straight, Lockwood," Stefan said in a low, menacing tone. "You and I have always gotten along okay but Bonnie is my best friend. The only thing stopping me from stomping you into the ground is because she begged me not to. She insisted that you didn't touch her but if I find out that's a lie, there'll be nothing she can say to stop me from coming for you. You got that?"

Tyler's eyes narrowed and shouted back into the house. "Elena, you have a minute to get her shit and go!"

"I'm moving as fast as I can!" Elena yelled back.

"You're a piece of shit, Salvatore," Tyler insulted Stefan. "Just like your piece of shit brother. Don't ever come back here!" He slammed the door in his face.

* * *

Bonnie walked into the back room of the antique shop, ready to take her break. Her Grams was taking the day off for a doctor's appointment but their young employee, Layla, was holding down the fort while Bonnie ate her lunch. She settled at the table with her chicken salad and pulled her old cellphone from her purse. The sight of many missed calls and text messages from Tyler alerted her to the fact that something was wrong.

_Answer ur fuckin phone_, the first text from Tyler read. Bonnie scrolled down as they went on.

_You can't be fuckin serious_

_Really? You send that asshole Salvatore to get ur shit_

_You couldn't be woman enuf to face me urself!_

_That shitbag is lucky I didn't knock him the fuck out! He had the balls to threaten me!_

_What the fuck did u tell him? Did u tell him I hit you becuz that's a fuckin lie! You hit me, bitch, and as much shit as you talk ur lucky I haven't beat the shit out of you!_

_I'm glad we're done! I never want to see or speak to you again!_

Bonnie's hand was shaking as she put the phone down. She knew sending Stefan might set him off, but if her Grams had gone she wouldn't have held her tongue and he would've been pissed off about that too. Sometimes she felt like Tyler hated her, and these messages corroborated that sentiment. The relationship was over, and despite herself that fact pained Bonnie.

* * *

Damon was checking his e-mail when a Skype call popped up on the screen of his Macbook Pro. Rebekah. She was exercising every technical way of communication and it was clear she wasn't going to give up until she got through to him. With a sigh, Damon hit the Accept button.

Rebekah's pretty, pissed off mug filled the screen. "About fucking time," she snapped, her British accent thick with attitude.

"You look pretty," Damon replied, sardonically.

"Don't play coy with me, Damon," she said, her glossed pink lips pouted.

"I'm not," he argued. "I genuinely think you look nice. Going somewhere?"

"What concern is it to you?!" She exclaimed. "You up and left without saying a word, asshole! How dare you!"

"Did you really think I would stay after you tried to kill me?"

"If I wanted to kill you, you would be dead," she informed in a biting tone. "Maybe if you wouldn't have been fucking that whore, Haley, we wouldn't be having these problems!"

"She was your best friend last week, now all of a sudden she's a whore!" Damon shook his head. "We ran into each other and had a conversation. We were standing close so we could hear each other over the music. One of your dumb ass hens runs back to you and says we were all over each other and you immediately believe it. I have nothing else to give, Rebekah. No matter what I do or how good I am, you're not going to trust me."

"You've given me good reason to have trust issues, Damon," Rebekah pouted.

"I cheated on you over a year ago," he reminded her. "We were supposed to move on from that. I left my home for you, my family and my friends. Stopped all contact with damn near everybody expect my brother, and stayed in Louisiana with you! I never wanted to live in fucking Louisiana! It still wasn't enough, so I'm done."

"Oh, you're done?" She snapped.

"Yes I'm done," he repeated. "I'm done with you and your insane jealousy and your violent temper tantrums. I'm not going back to New Orleans, so stop fucking calling me!"

"Damon Salvatore, you fucking a-"

He slammed the laptop shut, cutting off her coming tirade. He sighed and got up to grab himself a drink when he heard the sound of the front door closing. Figuring it was Stefan coming home early from work, he grabbed a half empty bottle of bourbon he had stored in his top drawer and guzzled straight from the bottle. He wiped his mouth, and started out of the room and down the stairs. Maybe Stefan could offer some brotherly advice, or distract him from thinking about his break-up, but he didn't want to sit around in his room wallowing in his misery.

As he approached the living-room, his brow furrowed at the sound of sniffling. He entered to the sight of Bonnie Bennett sitting in a foot rest in front of the crackling fireplace. He rounded the sofa and stood off to the side of her. Trails of tears painted her face, and she was clearly distraught. She didn't even turn her head or acknowledge him, just continued staring into the fire.

"Let me guess," he started, looking straight ahead as well. "End of relationship tears." She didn't respond. He took a sip from the bottle. "You shouldn't have wasted your time with that jackass in the first place." Bonnie's head snapped in his direction and she glared at him.

"Fuck you, Damon."

"Fuck me." He nodded. "He's the one that breaks your heart, and I get the _fuck you_. Sounds about right." He took another drink and muttered, "Stupid ass girls."

"Excuse me?!" Bonnie jumped and faced him, her face twisted in anger. "What did you just say?"

He turned and stepped closer to her. "I said. Stupid. Ass. Girl!" He emphasized, his blue eyes widened. "Stupid! You're a stupid girl, Bonnie!"

"Asshole!" She shrieked. "You never miss the opportunity to kick me while I'm down."

"I'm not trying to kick you, I'm telling you the truth," he argued. "You've continuously put up with this guy's bullshit for years, now you're sitting in my house shedding wasted tears on this dickhead! Does that sound smart?"

"Says the guy who keeps going back to the same woman who has brought nothing but drama and stress to his life!" She threw back. "How dare you judge me?! You've lost good women behind this crazy bitch, Rebekah! Time after time after time!"

"Because I'm an idiot!" Damon shouted. "I'm an idiot, and so are you. At least I can own up to this fact. A girl as pretty as you should never have to put up with the shit you deal with from Lockwood! Even if you are infuriatingly annoying." He took another long drink. Bonnie was taken aback.

"Pretty? Maybe you should put that bottle down," she suggested. "It's making you say things you don't mean."

"I never say things I don't mean," he replied. "I'm only beginning, sweetheart, I'm nowhere near as smashed as I plan to get it. Here." He thrust the bottle at her. "Maybe alcohol has the opposite effect on you and makes you get some sense." He walked past her toward the bar.

"The one and only time you've ever paid me a compliment in all the years I've known you and you have to follow it up with insults." Bonnie shook her head and drank from the bottle.

"I'm only telling the truth," he said as he poured some more liquor into a glass. "You may be a pain in my ass that I'm forced to deal with because of my brother, but I can see the appeal you may have to the few people you're not a constant bitch to. What are you doing here, anyway?"

"Tyler blew up after your brother went the house to get my things," she explained before drinking some more. "He said some really nasty things to me. I didn't want my Grams to see how upset I was, so I came here. I was hoping Stefan would be here."

"But you got me instead," Damon finished. "How disappointing."

"Yep."

"You're not alone," he revealed. "I just had the Skype call from hell. She tried to stab me over unfounded allegations, yet thinks I'm the sorry asshole. I will never understand."

"You shouldn't have wasted your time with that jackass in the first place," Bonnie threw at him.

Damon nodded and raised his glass. "Touche." Then he downed the rest of it.

Bonnie did the same with the bottle. "A guy as hot as you doesn't need to take shit from a psychopath like Mikaelson," she continued, recalling Damon's earlier words to her. "I may not be able to stand your presence, but I can see the appeal to people you're not being a constant asshole to." She shook her head and put the empty bottle down at the table. "I need to stay away from this stuff. It's making me say things I have no business saying."

"A drunk man's words is a sober man's thoughts."

"I'm not drunk yet," she said. "I am starting feeling this bourbon, though."

"I'm not drunk either," he said with a shrug. "I will be soon."

Bonnie shook her head. "I have to go."

"Why?" Damon questioned. "What are you going home to? NYPD Blue reruns with Grams? You might as well stay here and drink until we're both successfully wasted and not thinking about our failed love lives."

Bonnie's brow scrunched. "Damon, you and I can't stand each other," she reminded him. "Anytime you've ever spoken I've wanted to stab you."

"Now, that's not true, Bons," he argued as he waltzed over to her with a newly poured glass in hand. "You and I used to get along pretty well, way back in the day."

"Yeah, that was before you slept with Caroline, one of my closest friends at the time, who you knew had a mad crush on you for years then never called her again," Bonnie admonished him. "Your asshole behavior hit an all time high after that. Caroline was a good girl, and you used her. Then got back with Rebekah the next day and basically shoved it in Caroline's face."

"That wasn't intentional."

"You went to a party Caroline was throwing with her!"

"That was years ago!" Damon exclaimed. "We've already established how stupid I am when it comes to Bekah, let's not live in the past. Maybe if we hang tonight and don't rip each other's throats out, then we'll be able to be around each other in the future."

"I don't know, Damon," Bonnie said with a head shake, then she chuckled. "You know Tyler would really freak if he found out I spent all night drinking with you. He still considers you his archenemy." She could only imagine the names he would call her then.

"Good," Damon said with a smirk, leaning closer to her. "He's given you hell, why not give him a little back." He handed her the glass of bourbon. "We've been stupid for years, why not be stupid for another night?"

"What are you suggesting?"

He suddenly grabbed her by the waist and pulled her close. "Let's be stupid with each other." His lips were on hers. Bonnie's eyes widened as he kissed her fervently, and she pushed him off.

"Damon, what the hell?!" She shouted. "You're not going to use me to get back at Rebekah! I'm not Caroline!"

"Took you a second," Damon pointed out. "I think you might want to use me a little too. Why fight the best night of your life?"

"Asshole!" Bonnie whipped the contents of the glass cup in his face with a vengeance. "You disgust me." She started to storm past him as he wiped his face with his shirt.

"Hey!" Damon shouted, quickly moving in front of her. "You're going to stop throwing shit on me."

"Stop being such a pig and I will!"

"Let's not pretend like my actions are out of left field," Damon argued. "You could've left if you really wanted to, but you didn't. You don't want to want this Bonnie, but you do."

"You're so full of yourself, it's disgusting."

"You've disliked me ever since I slept with Caroline but I think it's because you had a crush on me yourself, not because I hurt her," he said.

"Ugh! You wish!"

"We both admitted that we find each other attractive so what are we fighting about?" He started to lean in closer to her. She raised her hand to slap him but he quickly caught it before she could connect. His eyes were wide and angry as he slowly brought her hand down, his grip on her wrist tight. He brought his face closer to hers as he issued a warning. "Don't ever fucking touch me."

Bonnie's heart was racing as she stared up into his eyes. She didn't know if it was the buzz from the alcohol or not, but she suddenly felt an urge to jump on him. Her eyes traveled down to his lips which seemed to be calling to her, and before she could think about what she was doing, she was kissing him.

She was kissing him feverishly, like it was the last time she would be wrapped around another human being. He brought his hands to her face as he pushed his tongue past her glossed lips. They devoured each other furiously. A moan escaped Bonnie, and she pushed him until he fell back onto the couch. He looked up at her with pure lust in his eyes, and she quickly straddled him. She brought her lips to his again before grabbing the bottom of his shirt, and with his assistance, pulling it up over his head. She took a second to rub her hands over his chest then down to his hardened abs, before fusing their mouths together again, their hands groping every bit of each other.

Growing hotter by the second, Damon gripped her waist and pushed her back until she was laying down. He brought his body down on top of hers and was kissing on her neck as she wrapped her legs around him. He pulled the strap of her shirt down and was beginning a trail of kisses from her lips down to the top of her breast when the sound of a loud, melodious tune rang out into the air.

Bonnie gasped. "My phone!"

"Ignore it," Damon demanded. He tried to kiss her again but she moved her head.

"Shit!" She swore. "What the fuck are we doing?! Get off of me!"

"What?!"

"Get off!" She cried, pushing against his broad shoulders. "I have to go!" He sat up and she jumped up, fixing her clothes.

"Bonnie..."

She grabbed her phone off the coffee table and ran out of the house without another word to him. He sat there, hot and confused, long after he heard the sound of the door slamming shut behind her.

* * *

**A/N: If their hook-up seemed out of nowhere, keep in mind that they were both in a hard space, dealing with a lot of emotions, and feeling vulnerable. Please, leave a review and let me know what you think.**

**Thanks for reading!**


	4. Sex & Lies

**A/N: Warning - this chapter contains lemon. Hope you don't mind mature content because it's coming at cha!**

**Hope you all enjoy!**

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. They belong to The CW. No copyright infringement intended.

* * *

**4 - Sex &amp; Lies**

"Fuuucckkk!" Elena's back arched off the bed, her fingers wound tightly into sheets. Stefan's head was buried in between her legs, and she was blissfully riding the edge. His tongue delved deeper inside her and she couldn't hold it off any longer. Cries of pleasure escaped Elena as she was pushed over the edge, and Stefan hungrily caught all of it in his mouth.

Elena fell back onto the pillows, her brown eyes cast to the ceiling. "Wow," she said with a smile. "That's a way to wake up in the morning."

Stefan laughed as he moved from between her legs and lay beside her. "Couldn't help myself," he said. "You always look so damn tasty." Elena turned on her side to face him.

"The same could be said about you, Mr. Salvatore," she replied, in a seductive tone. Their lips connected. Elena moved on top of him, aching for more, and he firmly gripped her ass. She sucked on his bottom lip, softly grinding on him and was rudely interrupted by the blaring of the alarm clock.

"Ugh!" She angrily smashed the button to quiet it. "I have to get ready for work."

"In a minute." Stefan went to kiss her again but she moved her head back, pushing down on his chest for support as she climbed off of him and slid off the bed.

"Sorry, bae, but a minute always turns to five then another ten," the brunette reminded him, as she grabbed her work clothes she'd brought with her the night before in anticipation of sleeping over, from on top of Stefan's dresser. "I really can't be late."

"Aaah! Curse these blasted morning shifts!" Stefan whined, his erection pointed high in the air. Elena shook her head at his crybaby act then headed to the bathroom to complete her morning routine. When she returned some time later, wrapped in a thick towel, her long hair dripping, Stefan was at the window, chatting on the phone.

"Are you sure?" He was saying. "Okay, if you say so. Talk to you later."

"Who was that?" Elena inquired as he hung up the phone.

"Bonnie," he replied, plopping down on the bed. "She sounds much better today."

"Good. Is she coming tonight?"

"Coming to what?" Inquired a confused Stefan.

"Stefan! Please tell me you did not forget?!" Elena exclaimed, incredulously.

His brow furrowed. "I'm still not sure what..."

"Omigod, I'm meeting some of my work friends at the new restaurant and dance club, NoBu," she reminded him, as she dressed. "I told you about it a week ago! You said you would come with me, and I told you to invite Bonnie."

"Oh. My bad."

Elena rolled her eyes. "We're going," she stated, matter-of-factly. "Call her back and tell her."

"There's nothing Bo hates more than a last minute invitation," Stefan said, knowingly. "It takes her no less than two hours to get ready to go out, and if she doesn't have an outfit she'll definitely be pissed at me."

"If she needs a dress I'm sure I have something."

"Dress?"

"It's an upscale place," she said. "We have to look nice."

"Where is this place? I never even heard of it."

"Just outside of Mystic Falls," she answered. "It's going to be fun. We haven't been out in awhile. Bon needs this. She's dealing with a lot. She can use a little distraction. You can even invite your brother, as long as he swears not to immediately get drunk, hit on all my friends, and be a complete ass to everyone."

"That's exactly how I'll put it," Stefan replied, sarcastically. "I'm sure he'll really appreciate it." Elena smiled then gave him a peck on the lips.

"You're cute," she stated. "Now call Bonnie."

* * *

Bonnie arrived at the Salvatore mansion a little later than planned that night. She had not been thrilled at Stefan's same-day invite, but after he and Elena insisted she agreed, and even became excited at the prospect of going out. It had been awhile since she'd really done anything fun, and she wanted to do it right. After primping and prepping, she left her Grams' house and headed to Stefan's.

"Look at you, sexy mama!" Elena gushed when she opened the door for Bonnie. Elena was in a short, midnight blue dress that displayed her long, tan legs. Her brown locks were pulled into a low half ponytail, and they flowed over her shoulders, and her lips were painted in a dark lipstick. She admired Bonnie in her strapless black and purple dress that hugged her curves and her six-inch matching stilettos. Her hair was pulled up into a high ponytail and hung low, and her smoky eyes brought even more sexy to her look. Needless to say, both girls looked hot.

The two embraced as Bonnie stepped in the house. "I'm so excited we're going out!" Elena exclaimed. "It's been so long!"

"I know, thanks for inviting me," Bonnie said with a smile. They walked into the living-room and Stefan sauntered in from the kitchen. He stopped short at the sight of Bonnie.

"Whoa," he said.

"Nice to see you, handsome," Bonnie flirted. Stefan smiled and gave her a hug.

"You look nice, Bo," he complimented.

Elena was already pouring Chardonnay into a glass and handed it out to Bonnie. "Already?" Bonnie questioned.

"Don't worry," Elena responded. "Stefan's designated driver tonight."

"In that case..." Bonnie took it and held it up. "Cheers." She gulped it down. She didn't plan to get too crazy that night, but figured a little buzz wouldn't hurt. She did have to be careful. Drinking made her do, or almost do as was the case two nights prior, ridiculous things like sleep with the Salvatore she found abhorrent.

"Where's your brother?" Bonnie casually asked Stefan.

"Upstairs," he replied. "Don't worry, he's not coming. I invited him and he very rudely rejected me. He's been in a pissy mood the last few days, he would just kill everyone's fun anyway." Bonnie shifted her eyes away guiltily.

"Cut him some slack," Elena said. "He's going through a break-up with the world's craziest Brit." She finished off her drink then slammed the glass down. "It's time to go. We're already running late."

"Right, just give me one minute to run to the bathroom," Bonnie requested. Elena nodded and turned to Stefan, and Bonnie quickly exited the room. She started down the hall, then looking back to make sure she wasn't being watched, bounded up the stairs. When she reached the top she could hear the sounds of a TV going spilling out into the hall. She approached Damon's room where the door was open. When she peeked in, she couldn't see him, just the flat screen TV that took up half the wall. She stepped a bit further into the room and he suddenly appeared from out of the bathroom, in the process of throwing on a shirt.

"Oh." Bonnie stopped short, and she couldn't keep her eyes from traveling down to his abs as he buttoned up. Damon looked her up and down.

"Don't you look nice and slutty," he quipped before turning away from her. Bonnie nodded as she expected nothing less from him.

"I thought we should talk for a second," she said, taking another step into the room. He didn't turn, just picked up a glass of bourbon sitting on his dresser and drank from it.

"Nothing to talk about."

"That's my point," she said. "Thank you for not saying anything to Stefan about what happened the other night. I think that's something we should keep to ourselves." He slammed his cup down then turned and glared at her.

"Stefan and I really need to start locking our door," he proclaimed. "Keep strays like you out. Get out."

"What?"

"Get out of my room!" He snapped. "I'm sure you'll find some loser at the club you'd rather slut it up with."

"Why are you so angry?" Bonnie asked, incredulously. Damon rapidly crossed the room to her.

"You must be hard of hearing so let me help you out." He grabbed hold of her and forcibly pushed her out of the room. Bonnie looked at him with wide eyes.

"Damon..."

He shut the door in her face.

* * *

The club was packed to the brim. An electro beat pumped through the speakers and the floor was filled with nicely dressed twenty-somethings dancing for their lives. Bonnie and Elena were right in the middle, working up a sweat. Bonnie couldn't remember the last time she'd had so much fun, and had just let her inhibitions go like this. Stefan was behind Elena, only slightly moving as he bopped his head to the beat. He wasn't much of a dancer when he was sober.

The song switched and Bonnie needed a breather. "I'll be right back!" She shouted to Elena loudly to be heard over the music. "I need to get some water!" Elena nodded and Bonnie weaved her way through the crowd over to the bar. Sliding onto one of the stools she requested water from the bartender, fanning herself due to the heat of being in such close proximity to so many people.

"Tapping out already?" A voice from beside her questioned. She turned to see one of Elena's work friends, Liam, a cute and confident RN. Bonnie had noticed he'd eyed her throughout the entire dinner, something Elena even pointed out in a whisper to her, but she didn't engage him because she didn't want him to think she was giving him the go-head. It seemed now like he hadn't caught that hint.

"I'm just thirsty," she said as she took the glass of water from the bartender. "It's getting really hot in here."

"I can't believe you can move like that," Liam complimented, looking her up and down. "I'm impressed."

"Why aren't you dancing?" She inquired.

He shrugged. "I was waiting for the right girl to dance with," he stated. At that moment the song switched again. _Go, can I go with you,_ the sultry voice of Grimes crooned over a dance beat. He confidently held out his hand. "Do you mind?" She was here to have fun and it was just a dance. _Why the hell not_, she thought to herself before taking his hand.

She led him out to the dance floor. holding onto his hand as she swayed her hips and ground her posterior up against him. She caught Elena's eyes and the girl gave her a wide smile and a thumbs up. They danced into another song. Bonnie turned to face him, bringing their bodies close, and seductively wrapped her hands around his neck as they swayed together to the music. Liam seemed enraptured by her as he stared into her emerald eyes.

"You are so gorgeous," he told her. Everything she did was sexy, and he wanted nothing more than to cap the night with seeing her naked. She didn't reply, just continued moving.

They kept dancing and Bonnie didn't feel the need for another dance partner. Liam was cute and he had some sort of rhythm. He would do for the night. At one point, he moved his position to the other side of her, and Bonnie's eyes widened at the sight of a familiar Italian standing near the bar, grilling her with his electric blue eyes. She shot him a wondering look but he didn't make a move, just stood there completely still, watching them. She didn't know how long he'd been there and why he was just staring like a creeper but she no longer felt comfortable. She turned to face Liam again but she wasn't dancing with as much energy.

"I'll be back," she told him. "Going to the bathroom." He nodded and she walked off and quickly headed toward the back of the club to the ladies' rest room. When she emerged five minutes later, she was not all the way surprised to find Damon waiting for her.

"You wouldn't be trying to hide from me, would you?" He questioned, sardonically.

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "Are you kidding me?" She snapped with full-on attitude. "You literally kicked me out of your room today, then you have the nerve to speak two words to me? Get out of my face!" She walked past him, purposely bumping into him on the way, and he reached out and gently grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back. She narrowed her eyes at him. "Don't fucking touch me, Damon."

"I'm sorry," he declared. "I was an ass to you. I admit it. Can we go outside for a minute and talk?"

"No, I already tried that." She snatched her arm from his grip. "What are you even doing here?"

"I needed to get out of the house," he responded. "And out of my own head."

"Good luck with that." She turned and stalked away. She found Elena and Stefan with Elena's coworkers, including Liam, hanging at the bar. Liam gave her a head motion indicating he wanted her to come over to him. She sighed and settled into the stool he was standing next to.

"Do you want a drink?" He asked her.

"Sure, I'll take one," she said. She hadn't had an alcoholic drink since the Chardonnay Elena had given her back at the mansion, but her short conversation with Damon made her want to drink. A lot. "A sex on the beach is fine." Liam smiled and ordered her drink for her. Bonnie rolled her eyes at the sound of Damon's voice behind her.

"I would be happy to provide that for you," Damon quipped, making a clear innuendo. Bonnie sucked her teeth and shook her head. "Oh, you meant the drink." Damon smirked, proud of his stupid joke. Liam gave him a once-over. "You must be one of Elena's friends."

"Yeah. Liam." He held out his hand and the men gave each other a firm shake.

"Damon," he replied. "Stefan's older brother. And a good friend of Bonnie's."

"What he means is that we've known each other a long time," Bonnie corrected. The bartender placed her drink in front of her.

"What are you doing with that girly drink?" Damon asked. "I know for a fact you like some good old bourbon. And what comes after." Bonnie clenched her jaw in an effort to not curse him out in front of everyone.

"Damon..." Stefan had made his way over, and he stood with a disapproving look on his faec.

"What?" Damon asked, innocently. "I'm just making friends with the nurses and reacquainting with my old pal, Bon Bon."

"I'm so glad you decided to come!" Elena popped up with faux enthusiasm. "Are you going to dance?"

"Depends," he said then turned to Bonnie. "Bon..."

"You're joking, right?" She replied, incredulously.

Damon shrugged. "You're the one missing out." He strutted away and disappeared into the sea of clubgoers.

"That's really your brother?" Liam asked Stefan who nodded almost shamefully. "Wow, you guys are very different."

"Thank you," Stefan said, jokingly.

Liam turned his attention back to Bonnie who was already nearly done with her drink. "I hope the joke was just on him because I would love to dance with you again," he said. Her mood for partying was diminished and she was just ready for the night to be over so she could go home. Unfortunately, she had carpooled with Stefan and Elena so she had to wait until they were ready to go and Elena was still in full turn-up mode.

"I think I'm going to just chill," Bonnie told Liam. "Sorry, my feet are killing and honestly, I'm tired. I rarely go out anymore. I'm used to being in bed by ten."

"I understand," he said. Everyone else they were with had moved back onto the dance floor but he didn't budge. Bonnie wanted to be left alone but she didn't have the heart to tell him that.

"You can go back and dance, it's okay," she told him instead. "You don't have to stay with me. I don't want to kill anybody's vibe."

"You're not," he promised. "I would much rather be around you than anyone else here." She gave him a small smile and they chattered away for a few minutes. Soon, a busty blonde in a tight red dress that just barely covered her nipples stumbled over and aggressively grabbed Liam by the arm.

"Come dance with me, cutie!" She commanded. He looked so uncomfortable Bonnie almost found it comedic.

"Oh, no, I'm with - " He started to say but Bonnie quickly cut him off.

"No, it's okay, dance with her!" She encouraged, excitedly. He looked at her with eyes that said, _Don't let her take me_, and Bonnie had to stifle a laugh. The woman tugged him away and Bonnie gave him a thumbs up. "Have fun," she mouthed, then they were gone.

She turned in her stool to face the dance floor to take in the happenings. Elena was getting Stefan to loosen up a little bit and dance a little more, the blonde girl was bent over so low as she twerked on Liam, Bonnie was sure her boob would pop out at any moment, and Damon was sandwiched between two girls, all three dancing wildly. Bonnie found she was still stuck on Damon as the DJ fused flawlessly into the next song and he was now just with one of the girls. She grinded up against him, putting her all into her sexy moves. She bent over and Bonnie curled her lip up in disgust. Damon's eyes lifted and met hers. He kept them locked on Bonnie as the girl continued to basically dry hump him. Bonnie felt the sudden impulse to get out of the club and get some air. She stood and walked away, not giving a second look back. She went out to the parking lot and settled down onto the curb.

It wasn't long before Damon was sitting down next to her. "Ugh, why are you following me?" She complained.

"I just came out to have a good time with my friends," he responded, casually. "Now, I need some air and you just happen to be out here."

"We are not friends," she snapped. "We will never be friends. You're not my type of person, Damon."

"I apologized to you, Bon Bon," he pointed out. "That's something I barely ever do."

"So I'm supposed to bow down and kiss your feet because I was worthy enough for one of your sorry ass apologies?" She quipped. "Please, you can keep that."

"Regardless, I would say the dynamics of our relationship has changed."

"You're right, we made things worse," she said. "Look, we kissed. That's it. I stopped it before it went too far and nothing like that will ever happen again. If you open your mouth about it to anyone, I will deny it until I'm blue in the face. Now, let's not ever talk about it again."

"You've rejected me and denied me all in one night," Damon said thoughtfully. "I can honestly say you're the first woman to ever do that. I'm not sure how I feel about it."

"I'm done with this night. I just want to go home."

"So do I," Damon said, standing up. "Let's go."

"I'm not going home with you!"

"Relax, I'm just giving you a ride to my house," he said. "Your left your car parked there, right? Once we get there you can drive yourself the rest of the way home. Don't make it a bigger deal than it is." Bonnie pondered a moment. She was ready to go, but she wasn't ready to be in a car alone with Damon Salvatore. "Would you really rather stay here in this sweaty ass club, making lame conversation with lame guys pretending to have fun?"

Bonnie sighed and took his extended hand so she could stand. "Fine," she reluctantly agreed. "No funny business. And Liam isn't lame, he's cute."

Damon smirked and led her to his car. As they drove off from the club Bonnie sent Stefan a text telling them she was tired and thanked him for the invite, promising to give him a call the next day. Damon was quiet as he drove. The radio was on but it was practically inaudible so Bonnie eventually reached out to turn it up. Damon quickly slapped her hand away.

"Don't touch my radio," he snapped.

"Well, put something on!" She complained. "Some music or something."

"No, I like to drive in silence after leaving a place like that," he stated. Bonnie rolled her eyes and looked out the window.

"You're always so much fun," she muttered sarcastically.

Damon smirked. "So, are you going to start dating that Liam guy next?" He questioned.

"Why do you keep bringing him up?" Bonnie asked, annoyed. "I _just _broke up with Tyler, I'm not going to be dating anybody. I don't even know the guy! We just met tonight. He's Elena's friend, not mine."

"The way you were shaking your ass on him seemed like you wanted to get to know him a little better," Damon quipped.

"What does it matter to you?!" She cried. "Why do you care so much?" Bonnie looked at him but he didn't say anything. "No...you can't possibly be jealous, Damon?"

"I don't get jealous," he stated, simply.

"You wouldn't have the right," she said. "We're nothing to each other. You looked like you were having a good enough time with those half naked girls that were grinding on you. I'm sure you got a number or five in the short time you were there."

"What does it matter to you?" He threw back.

"It really doesn't," she muttered. They rode in silence again. Eventually, sucking her teeth, Bonnie reached over to turn the volume up again.

"What the hell did I tell you?!" Damon cried in frustration.

"I don't want to just hear the sound of you breathing!"

"We're two minutes from the house, relax," he said. "I should've left you on that curb."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Fuck you, Damon," she spat.

He rolled his eyes. "That should be your motto," he quipped "You say it more than you say anything else." He looked at her. "Speaking of fucking, you said you stopped it before it went any further but that's not that case."

"Now, is that not ever talking about it again, Damon?"

"This will be the last time," he promised as he parked in the driveway of the mansion. "Admit it. If we hadn't been interrupted you wouldn't have stopped anything. You wanted it to happen just as much as I did. I could feel it in the way you kissed me."

"So what if I did!" She cried out. "The moment has passed. Get over it."

"I saw the way you were watching me tonight," he told her, his blue eyes set intensely on her. She met his eyes, then slowly shook her head. How she wished he was unattractive. She wished he didn't ooze sex appeal all over the place, and that she didn't feel a slight tingle when he looked at her this way. A look of pure lust, something completely new to their relationship.

"I have to go," she declared, then reached back to open the car door. Damon quickly leaned over her and forcibly shut it.

"Stop trying to run from me," he demanded in a low tone, his face only an inch from hers, his icy blues expressing a mixture of frustration and desire. "I'm not asking you to be my girlfriend. Trust me, that's something I would never ask of you." His words were biting, and Bonnie's faced twisted into an angry expression.

"God, I wish I could stuff your mouth with a fucking sock!" She hissed.

"I'm only telling the truth," he continued. "You're a good girl, and I don't need that. I'm not used to it. I don't want someone trying to tame me."

"You're afraid to let a woman have a positive effect on you?" She said. "That's a shame."

"It's a shame you think you could have an effect on me," he retaliated. "I think you might like me the way I am. I doubt there's anyone else that can turn you on like me." It was at this moment that Bonnie realized his hand was on her knee, slowly sneaking it's way upwards. She quickly moved it but he leaned in closer to her. "If I'm lying, then you can get out of this car right now and go. I won't chase you."

He waited. She didn't move.

His lips were full on hers. In a reflexive action, she slapped him across the face. He narrowed his eyes at her, but he didn't react, and he didn't move away. She grabbed his face and they were kissing again. She was pushed back against the car door as they devoured each other, kissing with even more passion than they had before. Her hands were gripping the collar of his shirt, the fabric tightly knotted in her small fists. His hand traveled up her dress, inadvertently pushing it up, and he tightly gripped her bare thigh. Bonnie's kisses were widely open-mouthed as his tongue traveled inside, massaging hers with his own.

He suddenly pulled away, opened his car door, and got out. Bonnie was frozen, wide-eyed and confused. A few seconds later, her own door was being opened and she was pulled out. Damon slammed it shut then pushed her up against it. He cupped her round ass with both hands and pushed her up, fusing their mouths together again. Her legs were nearly shaking she was so horny, and Damon knew they had to get out of the street before he lost all control and snatched her dress off right then and there.

"Get inside, Bennett," he demanded. "**Now**."

* * *

"So, she just left?"

Stefan and Elena were walking to his car, dead tired from a full night of clubbing. Elena had drank a considerable amount of vodka, so she had a slight stumble in her gait and had to lean on her boyfriend for support. "I guess so," Stefan replied, his arm wrapped around her as he guided her through the parking lost. "She said in the text she was tired and wanted to go home. Said she had fun though."

"Well, that's good," Elena replied. "But with Damon, though? I would think she'd rather wait for us than endure a half hour car ride with him.

Stefan shrugged. "I will never understand those two." They reached the car. "I think they dislike each other now more out of habit than anything. I'm sure this will never happen again, anyway. Damon isn't used to leaving the club with a girl and not getting laid after." Elena chuckled then turned at the sound of someone saying her name.

"Liam!" She pulled away from Stefan and threw her arms around her co-worker.

"I just wanted to say goodbye," Liam said as they broke apart.

"Yes, thanks for coming," Elena gushed, a slight slur in her speech.

"Of course, anytime," he replied. "Hey, what happened to your friend? She just disappeared."

"She went home early," Stefan explained. "She was feeling tired."

"I thought she rode here with you guys," Liam said.

"She did," Stefan said. "My brother gave her a ride home." Liam nodded but he didn't look too thrilled about that fact. He looked to Elena.

"Do you think you could give her my number?" He asked. "Have her give me a call. We were having a good conversation, and I would love to continue it."

"I knew you liked her," Elena teased with a crooked smile. "You want to maaarrry her." Liam looked at Stefan who shook his head in embarrassment. Elena was always a little too friendly and extra silly when she was tipsy.

"She'll talk to her for you," Stefan intervened. "Just don't get your hopes up that she'll call. She just broke up with her boyfriend a few days ago. I'm pretty sure she's taken a break from dating for awhile."

Liam shrugged his shoulders. "It's a worth a try. She's too beautiful for me not to try." Stefan nodded in understanding and he and Liam exchanged a firm handshake. "Bye Elena." He gave the pretty brunette a wave then turned and stalked away.

Elena leaned even more into Stefan and whispered loudly in his face, "They're going to get married!" He moved his head as her breath reeked of alcohol.

"It's time to get you home," he declared.

* * *

Bonnie had been hesitant crossing the threshold into Damon's room, because she knew once she did, it would be a done deal. Now, as he stood before her in almost nothing, she knew this was exactly what she wanted. She brought her hand up behind her back, and slowly zipped her dress down. Damon's eyes narrowed at her, waiting for the invitation. She brought the top half of her dress down, baring herself to him for the first time, and what he saw was perfection.

He was over her in an instant. She fell back onto the bed as his tongue made it's way into her mouth. His hands were on her breasts, and his lips traveled down to her neck, then down to the full mounds in his hands. She breathed heavily as he brought one into his mouth, her hand grabbing hold of his dark hair. He sucked on them both aggressively, He wanted to taste all of her. He looked up at her and hardened even more at the sight of her face twisted in pleasure, her back slightly arched off the bed.

He sat up and started to yank her dress down more. It was tight, especially around her hips, so she had to assist in wiggling out of it. He tossed it to the side then in one quick motion, flipped her over onto her stomach. He slid her panties off and took a moment to admire her.

"You are so fucking sexy," he breathed, bringing his hands to her backside, rubbing and gently squeezing. She yelped as he gave her ass a sharp slap.

"What are you doing?" She asked breathlessly, as he shifted his body downward. She couldn't see him but she could feel his fingers on her vagina.

"I want to taste you," he stated just before she felt his tongue down there. She gasped and he proceeded to use it on her expertly. She found herself moaning as he penetrated her with his tongue, sliding it up and down her lips, moving it inside and rubbing against her walls. "You taste so fucking good," he took a moment to state before diving back in. Her eyes were squeezed shut and her legs were shaking as he brought her feelings she was sure she'd never experienced before. She was aching to have all of him.

He moved his head, slipped a finger inside of her and shifted away. Bonnie could hear him fumbling with something in his bedside drawer and knew what was coming next. Soon, he brought his body down on top of hers. He spoke softly into her ear. "You want me?" Bonnie didn't respond and he aggressively pushed another finger inside of her. "Do. You. Want me?"

"Yes," she moaned. He removed his fingers and she felt his manhood poking at her entrance.

"Say it."

"I want you..."

He slowly slid the tip in and she was nearly bursting with anticipation, "Say it," he repeated.

"I want you, Damon."

She sucked in a sharp breath as he pushed his way inside her. She was tighter than expected. Her walls constricted around his dick and Damon felt like he could come right then and there, she felt so good. He cursed to himself, taking a moment before picking up a stroke. Bonnie moaned loudly as he impaled her repeatedly, each time harder, with more force. He was breathing heavily as he merged into her. He pushed himself up, and closed his eyes, just feeling himself sliding in and out of her wetness. He opened his eyes again at the sound of her softly moaning his name.

"Fuck!" He wrapped his hand in her brown hair and the pace of his stroke quickened.

"Fuck, I'm going to come," Bonnie swore and he moved his hips with more fervor. It was coming for him.

"Shit, you feel so fucking good!"

"Damon..." The way she moaned his name in that high pitch was too ridiculously sexy for him. He pushed further into her, feeling just how deep he could go. Her moans grew louder and one escaped him with the build up.

His release came fast and hard. His mouth had dropped open in an _O_, and he didn't realize how tightly he'd been gripping the back of her neck with one hand and her bottom with the other until after he came. He rolled off of her and toppled onto the bed. She lifted her face to peer at him.

"What the fuck did we just do?" She inquired, rhetorically.

"Something amazing," he breathed, meeting her gaze with his own ocean blues. She exhaled then turned her face into the pillow. Damon turned on his side toward her and gave a simple demand. "Look at me."

Bonnie slowly turned to face him. He brought his hand up and gently cupped her face, his fingers sliding underneath her hair. He regarded her intensely. "You..."

The sound of loud footsteps on the stairs and Stefan and Elena's voices snapped them both back into reality. Bonnie's eyes widened as she looked back at Damon. "Shit!" She swore, rolling away from him. "They're back! What if they come in here?!"

"Why would they do that?" Damon asked.

"They could've heard us!" Bonnie realized in horror right before there was a sharp knock on the bedroom door.

"Damon!" Stefan's voice came through the wood. Damon looked to Bonnie who was off the bed, wrapped in the sheet, looking like she was about to go into conniptions. "Damon, you up?" The doorknob twisted and Damon jumped up while Bonnie contemplated whether she should dive under the bed.

"Yeah!" Damon called back, quickly approaching the door, as he yanked up his boxers. He was prepared to slam it shut in Stefan's face if he tried to come in. "What do you want?"

"Where's Bonnie?" Stefan questioned. "Her car is still parked out front."

"Shit," Bonnie swore under her breath. She'd been so busy being locked in the throes of passion with her sworn enemy she hadn't even thought about the fact that they would see her car when they got back. She'd also completely forgotten about the fact that Stefan would come home eventually, or that other people even lived there.

"Uh...she said she didn't feel sober enough to drive," Damon quickly lied. "I brought her straight to her grandmother's house. She's coming back for it tomorrow."

"That's funny, she left her phone downstairs," Stefan observed. "She usually would never leave that behind."

"She fell asleep on the ride home, she must've just forgotten it," Damon said. Bonnie wasn't even breathing as she awaited Stefan's response.

"How is she going to get the car?" He asked. "I'm coming in. I don't like talking through a door, it's stupid."

"No!" Damon cried as the knob twisted again. Bonnie found herself wishing Damon had actually started locking doors like he'd threatened her with earlier. "Don't come in here! I don't have any clothes on."

"What? Why the hell are you naked?" Stefan asked in disgust. "Never mind, I don't even want to know. How is Bo getting her car back tomorrow?"

Damon looked to Bonnie. "I think her Grams is going to bring her," he said. Bonnie furiously waved her hands no. There would be no way she could bring her Grams in on this horrible lie. "Actually, I might pick her up and bring her back to get it."

"Really?" The surprise was evident in Stefan's tone. There was a pause and it was obvious Stefan was thinking about this possibility. Damon doing anything nice for Bonnie beyond the one free ride may be even more implausible to him. "Okay, whatever then. Goodnight, bro." Bonnie released her breath at the sound of his footsteps falling away.

"Shit," she cursed again in a voice just above a whisper as she settled back onto the bed. "Now what are we supposed to do?"

"We can leave after they fall asleep," he offered. "I'll drive you home and in the morning, I'll pick you again and bring you back and we'll make sure he sees you getting the car."

"You know how light of a sleeper Stefan is," she rebuffed with a shake of the head. "His room is right above the driveway and he sleeps with the window open. He'll hear your car starting."

"You guys know entirely too much about each other," Damon observed and Bonnie shot him a sharp look. "You got any better ideas to offer, Judgy?" Bonnie bristled at the fact that he was calling her that again. After the night they'd just had she figured the one thing that would change was him not calling her by the nickname he knew she hated.

"I don't know, maybe I can dive out your window and fly home, then you can get me in the morning." There was no laughter in Bonnie's tone and she looked upon Damon with wide, innocent eyes. He found her adorable in that moment and he couldn't help but chuckle.

"_Or _we could do the easiest thing and _tell _him," he said.

"Never," she declared, sharply. "He'll go off, especially on you. Remember, I'm his innocent little Bo Bo. His first reaction will be to blame you and he might try to kick you into the ground. Is that something you really feel like dealing with?" It didn't take Damon but a second to mull that one over. No, he didn't feel like dealing with his brother's dramatics. "I wish you would've come up with a better lie."

"Well, you weren't giving me anything!" He exclaimed.

"Sshh!" Bonnie hissed, her finger to her mouth as she looked like she would kick him into the ground herself if he didn't quiet down. He shut his mouth and she slightly relaxed. It was then she became painfully aware that he was in nothing but boxers and she was still completely nude under the bedsheets.

"What mess have we gotten ourselves into, Salvatore?" She questioned. He didn't respond, as he was wondering the same thing.


	5. Make It Quick

**A/N: So sorry for the delay. I hope the length of this update makes up for it a little and can hold you over until the next one, which shouldn't take a month and a half. I really appreciate the major increase of reviews last chapter. Hopefully you all are still with me and interested in this fic. This chapter does contain mature content.**

**Hope you enjoy! **

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or The Vampire Diaries. They belong to The CW. No copyright infringement intended.

* * *

**5 - Make It Quick**

Bonnie felt herself being rolled over. She kept her eyes squeezed shut. She was still dead tired and didn't want to be bothered. She felt herself being pushed again. "What are you doing?" She grumbled.

"You keep taking all the covers," Damon whined in a groggy voice. "Move over."

She flopped over onto her belly and felt him wrapping himself in the covers she'd been lying on top of. Bonnie had never been a good sleeper. She rolled around, she kicked, she hogged all the blankets. She always thought Tyler was being dramatic when he complained about it, but the fact that she was able to be a bother to Damon in a bed as huge as his told her something.

She opened her eyes and rolled over to look at him. He had his back to her, and he had moved almost all the way to the edge of the bed, putting nearly three bodies worth of space between them.

"I can feel your eyes on me," Damon finally said after a long moment of silently gazing at him.

"You're so far away," she observed. "I can't be that bad."

"You're worse," he objected. He wasn't going to say anything, but he'd tried to sleep close to her. After the third time of her rolling over and hitting him in the face, he gave up. He was never the type of guy to sleep over or let a girl spend the night after already having sex with her, but given the situation with his brother, Bonnie was a special case. He wasn't that upset about it at first. He wanted to see what it was like to sleep beside a woman that wasn't Rebekah Mikaelson. It wasn't promising so far.

He turned and lay on his back, his blue eyes cast to the ceiling. "Whatever, I don't want you near me anyway," Bonnie quipped, but her tone noticeably lacked the large amount of attitude it usually held when she said things like this to him. He looked at her, her pretty eyes still taking him in.

"Well, that's a surprise," he said in a low tone.

"What?"

"I'm used to girls looking like their ugly sister in the morning," he said. "You're not so bad. The kind of ugly cousin at best." Bonnie smacked her teeth.

"Shut up, big head." She grabbed the pillow nearest her and hit him in the face with it. He grunted and sat up on the edge of the bed. She watched him as he took a moment before getting up and heading to the bathroom. She had to admit to herself that he looked good in nothing but his boxers. She sighed then got up herself, grabbing her clothes from the night before and throwing them on.

"Plan on just walking out?" Damon inquired as he emerged from the bathroom.

"We have to figure something out," Bonnie replied. "I have to go home. I wasn't even able to call my Grams and tell her I wasn't coming home last night. She's probably worried. Is Stefan up yet?"

"I'll check." Damon threw on a pair of pants and disappeared from the room. Bonnie sat on the edge of the bed and waited patiently. When he came back five minutes later, he had her cell phone in his hand. He tossed it to her then started rummaging through his drawer for a shirt. "He's in the kitchen, eating. I'll go distract him, then you can go out the front and get in my car. It should be unlocked. And make sure you're quiet going down the stairs, and not clunking around like you usually do."

"Shut up."

"Give it a minute before you come downstairs," he instructed, then he was gone. She waited a minute as he had advised, pressing her ear to the door to makes sure all was silent on the other side, before opening it and stepping out.

"Oh my God..."

Bonnie's heart dropped into her stomach. She turned to see Elena in nothing but one of Stefan's shirts, looking like she'd just encountered a ghost.

"What am I seeing?" She was panicking, shaking her head in denial. "I am not seeing what I think I'm seeing. It's not possible!"

"Sshh!" Bonnie hissed at her in a panic. She grabbed Elena by the hand and pulled her into Damon's room, shutting the door tightly.

"What the hell is going on?" Elena asked.

"I'm trying to get out of here without Stefan seeing me so please, don't blow my cover!"

"Why are you coming out of Damon's room?! Please, tell me you did not sleep with him!" Elena pleaded. Bonnie looked down in shame. "You can't be serious! Are you crazy?"

"It just happened," Bonnie said. "It was a mistake, and it'll never happen again. I just need you to promise you'll keep this to yourself."

"I hate lying to Stefan."

"Elena, please."

"Fine, I promise," she huffed. "Now, can you tell me how this happened?"

"Can I tell you later? I need to get out of here before-" The sound of voices in the hall interrupted her. Bonnie's eyes widened as the bedroom door opened but she slightly relaxed when she saw it was Damon. He quickly closed the door behind him.

"What the hell happened to you?" He hissed. "We had like a two-minute window and you-" He stopped at the sight of Elena who was giving him a very judgmental look. "Shit."

"She caught me when I was coming out of the room," Bonnie confessed. "I completely forgot she was here. She knows everything."

"Stefan is going to kick your ass," Elena warned the elder Salvatore.

"No, he's not because you're not going to say anything, right?" Bonnie pressed.

Elena rolled her eyes. "Fine, but don't ask me for anything else."

"No problem. May I make a request instead?" Damon pushed. Elena glared at him. "Just distract Stefan while Bonnie and I get out of here."

"Now you want to make me a cohort in your sexcapades?" Elena whined. Bonnie gave her a pleading look and she relented. "What am I supposed to do?"

"I don't know, tell him one of those long-winded, insanely boring work stories you women like to tell or just fuck his brains out. Anything to keep him from coming out of that room until we're away from the house," Damon offered. "Just get back in there before he comes looking for you." Elena nodded and left the room. Damon and Bonnie waited until they heard Stefan's door closing before walking out. Not too long after they were in Damon's blue Chevy Camaro, putting distance between themselves and the boardinghouse.

"We did it!" Bonnie exclaimed.

"This is ridiculous," Damon spat. "I'm a grown man having to sneak around my own house!"

"Relax, it was just one time," Bonnie said. "We're never going to have to do this again."

Damon gave her a once-over then directed his eyes back to the road. "We'll see," he said. When they arrived at Sheila's house, she was lounging on the couch, drinking coffee and watching General Hospital. She straightened up when Bonnie came in with Damon.

"Where were you all night?" Sheila questioned.

"I fell asleep at Stefan's after we left the club," Bonnie told her. "I meant to call you and tell you I wasn't coming home but I fell asleep almost as soon as I got there."

Sheila gave her a disapproving look. "That's all I ask for is a call just so I know you're not in any trouble," she said. "I realize you're an adult but I still worry about you, girl."

"I know, Grams, I'm sorry." Bonnie went over to her and gave her a reassuring hug. Grams then set her eyes on Damon. "So, what are you doing here?"

"Good morning, Ms. Sheila," he said with a smile she did not return. She'd never been a fan of his, and he was aware of that fact. "Just doing a favor for Bon Bon."

"I left my car at Elena's and I asked him to give me a ride over there," Bonnie quickly lied.

"Why couldn't Stefan do that?" Sheila pressed.

"He's not home right now," she said. "Damon's just going to watch TV with you while I jump in the shower, okay Grams?"

Sheila rolled her eyes. "Fine, but don't take long. I'm heading to the shop soon, and I would appreciate it if you closed tonight."

"I will." Bonnie disappeared and Damon was left awkwardly standing there.

"You can sit down," Sheila told him as she turned up the TV. He did as he was told and she focused on her stories. When Bonnie emerged from her room some time later, the two seemed to be chatting amicably. When he turned it on, Damon's charms always seemed to win women over...eventually.

"Okay, we have to go," she told him, heading to the door. Damon got up to follow her. "See you later, Grams."

"Goodbye Miss Sheila," Damon bid as they walked out. This time Sheila returned his smile. "I think your Grams is starting to like me," he bragged to Bonnie as they headed to the Camaro. "Who knows. One day I might take Stefan's place as her favorite Salvatore."

"I wouldn't get my hopes up if I were you," Bonnie quipped.

When they returned to the boardinghouse, Stefan and Elena were locked away in his room. Bonnie went into the living-room to grab her purse and car keys, while Damon settled on the couch, and was about to make an exit when Stefan made an appearance.

"You wouldn't be trying to sneak away, would you?" He teased.

"Of course not," Bonnie replied. "I didn't want to disturb you, thought you might be laying down."

"No, but Elena is," he said. "She's still completely hungover, which you don't really look yourself."

"I feel a lot better than I did last night," she said. "Thanks for taking me out. I had a good time."

"No problem. It's been a long time since we've partied together."

"Donovan house party flashback?"

"I still don't know how we both ended up passed out in the bathroom," he said.

"Yeah, and how did you get the tub while I got the floor," Bonnie quipped and they both laughed. "I'll let you get back to taking care of your girlfriend. I'll see you later." The two quickly embraced and she went for the door.

"Bye, Bon Bon!" Bonnie turned to see Damon leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face. Bonnie took a deep breath, looked to Stefan then back to him.

"Goodbye, Damon."

* * *

The next five days went by in a blur. Bonnie worked, slept, then got up and went back to work. She was putting in extra long shifts at the antique shop as a way to save up more money and keep her mind off other things as well. She ended up spending more time with her employees than usual, Layla in particular. Layla was a very pretty nineteen year old African-American girl who was in the transition into adulthood and still wasn't exactly sure what she wanted to do with her life. She'd attempted multiple times to strike up a friendship with Bonnie that extended outside of the workplace, but Bonnie didn't think it wise seeing as she was her superior. After the long hours spent working closely with her, Bonnie warmed to the girl a bit, and learned more about her personal life than she ever intended. As a result of spending so much time there, she didn't stop by the boardinghouse at all and neglected any contact with Stefan almost completely. Eventually he sent her a text questioning her notable absence and she simply replied she was a little under the weather and couldn't stop by or go anywhere, a fib she found necessary at the time.

On the day she finally decided to take off she received a message from Tyler. It was a picture of an adorable six-year-old boy, smiling at the camera with gaps in his grin where his baby teeth had fallen out. It was captioned, _Lil Mason misses you. He keeps asking about you. _She'd grown close to Tyler's little cousin, Mason Jr., over the years and the boy adored her. Whenever Mason Lockwood came into town to visit, Mason Jr was immediately asking for his Bonnie.

Bonnie sighed then texted him back. _Tell him Bon Bon misses him too. _It didn't take long for his reply to come through, _It would mean a lot to him if you just stopped by to say hello. _She should've seen that coming. She suspected this was entrapment.

_I don't think that's a good idea,_ she replied.

_It's not for me. It's for him, _was Tyler's response.

Bonnie was unsure if she was ready to see Tyler again just yet, and her heart spiked at the possibility. She could go for just a few minutes, just to appease Lil' Mason, then be on her way. She made the decision as she texted back, _I'll be there soon as I can._

* * *

"...it can't be too extravagant, I don't want him to start acting all shy and regressive like he tends to when there's a lot of attention on him. The music needs to be good, but I don't think we necessarily need a DJ. The food will..." Elena's voice was merely serving as background noise as Damon's mind repeatedly wandered elsewhere. He checked his phone for the umpteenth time and Elena glared at him. "Are you even listening to me?! I'm trying to plan _your _brother's birthday party, and you said you would help."

"I never actually said yes," Damon corrected. "I said 'whatever', so you would stop bugging me about it."

Elena rolled her doe brown eyes to the ceiling. "God, I miss Caroline," she said to herself. Her old friend had always been the savior when it came to planning parties. She gave the directions, everyone else merely followed them, and it usually turned out great in the end. The beautiful blonde had made a life for herself outside of Virginia after graduation, but made frequent visits, and promised Elena she would be there to celebrate Stefan's birthday, although the prospect of seeing Damon again did not excite her.

"Where is your head at?" She questioned Damon, annoyed. "And why do you keep checking your phone?" He didn't reply, just shifted his eyes away. Elena's mouth dropped open. "Oh my God. Please tell me you're not waiting for Bonnie to call you!"

"What? Of course not."

"You've got to be kidding me," Elena chuckled.

"That's ridiculous," he snapped, glaring at her.

"What an interesting turn of events," Elena teased. "Damon Salvatore, the lady-killer, the town womanizer, the one to use women then dispose of them once he's through, is actually waiting for a girl to call him after he's already slept with her? I never thought I would see the day."

"Shut up." He got up from the couch, ready to make a hasty exit and drown himself in bourbon.

"Damon!" Elena got up as well, stopping him in his tracks. He turned to her and she met his eyes with a serious look. "Don't interfere in Bonnie's life. She has too much going on already without you complicating it further. You're not good for her."

"Who are you to say what's good for her?"

"I'm her friend," she replied. "I'm your possible future sister-in-law. Leave her alone."

"You have nothing to worry about, sissy," Damon told her, using the nickname sarcastically. "I'm not into the girl, I hardly even like her. What happened with us just happened once and that's it."

"Good," Elena said. "I know that, she knows that. I hope you do too." She moved past him to the door. "I'll call you later when you're more focused so we can discuss party details."

"Not much to discuss," he replied. "All you need is music, booze, and hot chicks."

"This is a party for Stefan, not you."

"You're right," he said with a nod. "All you need is booze and hot chicks."

Elena rolled her eyes and walked out.

* * *

"Bonnie!" The little boy was heavier than Bonnie expected as he jumped into her arms.

"Hi, MJ!" She smiled as she hugged him back. "I've missed you!"

"I've missed you too, Bon Bon," Mason Jr gushed as he placed his feet back on the floor and stuck his tiny hand inside hers, leading her into the house. "Tyler said you were too busy to come today but I knew you would come see me!"

"Of course." Bonnie allowed him to lead her by the hand into the living-room where Tyler and his Uncle Mason were. Mason smiled when she entered the room and immediately got up to embrace her. They had always gotten along really well. Mason liked Bonnie for his nephew, she seemed to bring out the best in him.

"Hey! Long time no see, Bon," he said. "How have you been?"

"Good," she said with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, "It's nice to see you guys again. Geesh, MJ is getting so big. Nearly knocked the wind out of me when he jumped on me."

Mason laughed. "I know, he's growing really fast."

"Where's Jules?" She asked in reference to his wife and mother of his only child.

"She couldn't make it this trip, but she did say to tell you hello and that she'll definitely check for you next time she's in MF," he revealed. Bonnie smiled a little nervously before making eye contact with Tyler. She loved Mason and Jules, but she wasn't sure if they knew about she and Tyler's break-up, and now didn't seem like the appropriate time to bring it up.

Mason dropped his voice a little as he continued to speak. "Look, I know you and Tyler are on the outs right now, but you should remember that he's an idiot." Well, that answered that question.

"Mason!" Tyler glared at him.

"Am I lying?" Mason asked him sarcastically and Tyler looked away, He turned back to Bonnie. "The Lockwood men are notorious for being idiots when it comes to women. Don't be afraid to knock some sense into him so he can remember the quality of a woman he has in you. You guys will work it out."

"Thanks Mason," Bonnie said, genuinely. She didn't need confirmation of how good of a woman she'd been to Tyler, but it was nice to hear anyway.

"Come on, Bon Bon! Look what Tyler bought me!" MJ pulled her by the hand into the bedroom to show her his new toys. Ten minutes later, when she was able to break free of the adorable mini-Lockwood, she stepped out onto the balcony. She missed being in her own home, sleeping in her own bed, getting fresh air on the balcony. She was only out there a few minutes before Tyler joined her, closing the door connecting to the bedroom behind him. He stepped up beside her, looking out at the view.

"I'm really glad you came," he said. "You look really pretty."

"Thank you." She had taken extra care to look nice before coming to see him. She wore a colorful sundress with eyeshadow that matched and her brown hair hung over her shoulders and down her back in loose curls. She may not have been ready to go back to him, but she still wanted to look like the beautiful, confident Bonnie he had fallen in love with six years ago.

He sighed deeply, and let a moment of silence linger between them. "I miss you like hell, Bonnie," he admitted.

"I don't want to do this right now, Tyler..."

"Then when?" He asked. "It's been weeks. Tell me that you don't miss me too."

"It doesn't matter," she said.

"It matters," he argued. "It's time for you to come home. We can work through this, but you need to be home. Most of your stuff is still here. If you were really done, you would've came and gotten it all."

"I just wasn't ready to have this conversation," she replied. "You know I love you, and I always will, even if I don't want too, but we can't be together. I was going to get the rest of my stuff as soon as I got my own place but if it's easier for you to have me get it sooner then I will."

"Your own place?" Tyler's brow furrowed. "Is that what you really want?"

"None of this is what I wanted," she said, maintaining her composure though she was shrieking inside. "It's what needs to happen. Our last conversation proved that more than anything."

"You know I didn't mean any of that. I was talking out of anger."

"I don't care, you still said it." Bonnie turned to face him with a now stony expression. "You've disrespected me one too many times, and I refuse to put up with it anymore. Our relationship is toxic. It's better for the both of us if we move on."

Tyler shook his head. "I can't move on from you, Bon, I love you too much," he told her, stepping closer to her. Bonnie shifted uncomfortably. "I can give you some more time, but I'm not giving up on you." He placed a soft kiss on her forehead, then disappeared back into the house. MJ was soon calling her name, and she sighed and went back inside as well, to the people she once considered her family.

* * *

Elena and Bonnie sat across from each other at the table in the Salvatore kitchen. Bonnie was jotting down the items Elena was listing verbally in a small notepad. Planning her boyfriend's surprise party with his brother had been a bust so Elena had called on his best friend to help her out. This meeting was going much smoother.

"How are we going to get him out of the house long enough to set up?" Bonnie questioned.

"Hopefully I can get Damon to agree to keep him distracted for a few hours," Elena replied. "If not I was thinking maybe you could, and Caroline and I will decorate. I don't want him knowing she's in town until the party, he might get suspicious."

"I think I'm up for it." Damon suddenly entered the kitchen. Elena rolled her eyes and Bonnie's heart jumped. Her back was to him but she heard his voice, and Elena had assured her Damon was out for the night when she invited her over. This was the first time she would be seeing him since their tryst, and she wasn't sure she was ready for it.

"What are you doing here?" Elena asked, clearly exasperated.

"I live here," Damon said sarcastically. "Is the party committee meeting without me?"

"You acted completely uninterested when I tried to talk to you about this," Elena reminded him. He was suddenly over Bonnie looking at her notepad. She could smell his scent as he leaned over her, closer than necessary, and picked up the notepad. He didn't move from her side as he read it aloud.

"Seriously, you're going to decorate?" He said with an eye roll. "He's a guy, he doesn't give a shit about glittery signs and streamers. I told you booze, music, and chicks. What more is there to discuss?"

"Stefan hasn't allowed anyone to ever throw him a birthday party," Elena reminded him. "This has to be an event and not like the house parties we threw in high school. Of course there'll be drinks and music. And Bonnie and I will be there, so the hot chicks are covered."

"Cute," Damon said sarcastically, then tossed the notepad on the table and sat down. "I can try to keep him distracted, but you do realize after awhile he probably will get suspicious. He knows you've been wanting to throw him a party for years then suddenly you're not even around him on his birthday?"

"We'll figure it out," Bonnie spoke up. "We just need you to keep your mouth shut about what's going on." Damon set his eyes on her.

"I'm never one to squeal, Bon Bon, you know that," he said with a smirk. "I'm surprised to see you here. It's been awhile."

"I didn't know you'd be here," she replied, shifting her eyes to the notepad and picking up the pen.

"Guys, let's not make this awkward," Elena suggested.

"It's not awkward," Damon said in a faux light-hearted tone. "We're all friends here. You look really nice, Bon."

"Thank you, Damon."

The sexual tension could be cut with a knife. Elena looked between the two of them as Bonnie studied the notepad like it had winning lotto numbers on it and Damon studied her like she was a million bucks herself. "Okay!" Elena exclaimed, bringing her hands together and shattering the heavy moment. "I think we delegated all the jobs. I'm in charge of the set-up, Bonnie's in charge of the music, Matt and Jeremy are in charge of the alcohol, Caroline's in charge of the cake, and Damon is in charge of Stefan." Elena flashed them a smile.

"Cake?"

"Yes, Damon, cake," Elena snapped.

"You're going to have a hundred twenty-somethings stop partying to sing happy birthday to a grown man?" His tone was grating on Elena's nerves.

"Not exactly," she said. "The cake is just for his close friends...and you. Have anymore annoying questions or criticisms before Stefan gets home?"

"I think I've done enough thinking about this lamefest for the night," he declared.

"Good, then I'm sure you have something better do right now than talk to us," Elena suggested. "Bonnie, ready for that drink?"

"Yeah, just let me run to the bathroom real quick," she said and Elena nodded. She avoided making eye contact with Damon as she got up from the table and left the kitchen. She could hear Damon and Elena bickering as she went.

She soon found herself in front of the bathroom mirror, fixing her make-up. She wasn't sure why. Both Tyler and Damon had expressed how good she looked that day, but for some reason it had more of an affect on her when the compliment came from the King of Insults, Damon Salvatore. She quickly got herself together and emerged from the bathroom just as the King of Insults himself was coming up the stairs. She made her way toward the stairs but he stopped his trek in the middle of the hall. She furrowed her brow and tried to walk around him but he stepped in her path.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"It's been awhile, Bon, and I don't want to assume you've been avoiding me," he answered. "I think we should do some catching up." The suggestion in his tone was clear.

"It hasn't been long enough. Excuse me." She tried to walk the other way past him but he moved in front of her again.

"Stop acting, Bonnie, there's nobody around," he pointed out. "Things between us have changed, whether you want to admit it or not. This disdain you've pretended to have for me over the years can stop."

"I don't know what you want from me, Damon," she said. "Do you want to 'talk about our feelings', do you want a relationship? What?"

His face scrunched. "That's the last thing I want," he quipped. "I do want you to tell the truth. You don't hate me."

She sighed. "I obviously don't hate you, Damon," she reluctantly admitted. "Doesn't mean we're best friends."

"I haven't been able to stop thinking about that night. The faces you made, the way you moaned my name, it gets me going every time. I don't want to be your friend," he confirmed. Her heart unwillingly picked up pace when he raised his hand and gently moved the hair from her face, his sapphire blues boring into her emerald greens. "I want to be something better." Her breath hitched as he leaned in, and when she didn't move away he locked his lips onto hers.

The memory of what he felt like inside of her came rushing back with a vengeance and she wanted him. They wanted each other. Her hands wrapped around his neck as their mouths drank each other in. He was guiding her back and they practically fell back into the bathroom. He pushed her off, and she watched as he kicked his foot back and closed the bathroom door. In the next second she was on him, pushing him up against the door. She locked it in one swift motion as they kissed, then her hands went to work removing his leather jacket. It dropped to the floor, then Bonnie felt herself being lifted. Their lips didn't break apart and she wrapped her legs around his torso.

She was placed on the sink, her back pressed up against the mirror, and Damon was lifting her flowy sundress up, his hands traveling up her legs and gripping her thighs. Her eyes closed as he kissed on her neck in her most sensitive spot, and she wrapped her hand in his thick hair. His lips moved down to the valley of her breasts but she slightly pushed him off. Before he could question it she went for his belt and swiftly snapped off the buckle.

"Make it quick," she breathed. Elena was around and Stefan would be too at any minute, and soon they would be wondering of their whereabouts. There was no time to beat around the bush.

Damon's face was the most serious she'd ever seen it as he gave a simple instruction. "Get down."

She knew what that meant, and she was more than ready for it. She slid off the bathroom sink and turned around. She saw him yank his pants down in the mirror, then he bent her over a little more and hiked her dress up. He positioned himself in between her legs and a loud gasp escaped Bonnie as she felt him inside her. The gasps turned to cries as he stroked with a ferocity and filled her completely.

Damon paused and gripped her face and brought it back toward his. "Sshh," he whispered into her ear. Bonnie knew she needed to shut the hell up if she didn't want to be caught, but she also knew this wasn't possible. She'd always been a screamer. "You have to be quiet..." he reminded her in a whisper.

She tried and failed. She had no complaints when he finally placed his hand over her mouth and went harder. Downstairs, an attractive couple poured themselves a drink. Stefan had just arrived home and was happy to see his girl there waiting for him.

"Is my brother home?" Stefan inquired

"Yeah, he just got here a few minutes ago," Elena responded. "Bonnie is here too."

"Really? Why?"

"She just stopped by and we're going to have a drink," Elena fibbed. Stefan nodded and sipped his drink. She felt relief that he didn't question her further.

"I'll be right back," he said, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. "I need to get something in my stomach. It's been a long day." He disappeared into the kitchen and Elena went over to the bar.

Less than a minute later Bonnie was walking into the living-room. "Hey!" She greeted with extra cheer. Elena raised an eyebrow.

"I was starting to think you fell in," she quipped. She grabbed a tumbler of bourbon and held it out to the little lady. "He's back and he still doesn't suspect anything about the party. Let's drink to Stefan knowing nothing."

"I can definitely drink to that," Bonnie said as she took the drink from her. They both took a long sip. Elena studied Bonnie and her brows knitted together.

"What happened to you?" She questioned.

"What do you mean?"

"Your hair was impeccable when you got here, now it looks like you've just had a fight," Elena observed. Bonnie had tried to fix herself as best and as hastily as she could before leaving the bathroom but apparently it hadn't been enough. Her lipgloss had been completely kissed off and there was a bite mark on the back of her shoulder she hoped her dress was covering. If Elena kept studying her, Bonnie knew she would put the pieces together.

"That better not be my bourbon you're drinking," Damon practically floated into the room and approached them. He snatched up the half empty bottle from the bar. "What the hell?!"

"You always keep the best stuff," an unapologetic Elena said with a shrug. She frowned at him as he poured himself some. His dark hair was also tousled in a way it hadn't been previously, and his shirt was looser around the neck and at the bottom, as if someone had been pulling on it."Oh my God!"

Both Damon and Bonnie looked at her curiously. "What?" Bonnie asked.

"You two snuck off to have sex?!" She accused in a lower, panicked tone.

"No!" Bonnie lied.

"I didn't touch her," Damon concurred.

"Then why do you smell like the Victoria's Secret body spray Bonnie's wearing?" She threw at him. She moved his head to the side. "And you have a lipgloss mark on your neck! Both of you look suspicious as hell! Get yourselves together before Stefan-"

"Hey, am I missing out on something?" Stefan came in from the kitchen and smiled at the group as he approached them. They all went quiet as he neared them. His smiled dropped into a suspicious frown. "Why are you all standing so close? And why were you whispering? Plotting against me or something?"

"Of course not." Elena forced a smile and held up her drink. "We were going to toast to being young, healthy, intelligent people...and Damon." Damon glared at her as the rest of them laughed. He gulped down his drink and brought it down hard on the bar top.

"It was really nice chatting with you all, not really, but I'm going to go," he announced.

"Why does he look like he just came out of a wrestling match?" Stefan questioned as Damon walked away.

"Don't know, don't care," Elena quipped. Damon turned and his eyes met with Bonnie's. Their gaze lingered for a moment, then he gave her a wink and disappeared into the hall.

"I should be going too," Bonnie said, putting her glass down.

"What? I just got here and I haven't seen you in days," Stefan complained. "I didn't even know you were feeling better.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she confirmed. "I'm really tired and I have to work in the morning."

"Fine," Stefan conceded.

"You might have to come over for Sunday dinner," Bonnie told him. "Grams has asked about you. I think she misses you a little bit."

Stefan smiled. "You know I'll be there, I love Miss Sheila." He wrapped his friend up in a tight hug and she couldn't help but feel a little bad for deceiving him. On the other hand, having a secret, very hot affair wasn't the worst thing she'd ever done, but it was the most daring and she kind of liked it.

Elena offered to walk her out as Bonnie stepped away. She nodded and the girls headed out. The moment they were outside and out of earshot of Stefan, Elena went into concerned friend mode. "Bonnie, you're better than this," she scolded, her arms crossed.

"Better than what?"

"Than what you're doing with Damon."

"Please don't start..." Bonnie started away but Elena grabbed her hand.

"Bonnie, I know you," she said in a softer tone. "You're a loving person, you give your all in relationships, and you enjoy being committed. You don't do random hook-ups."

"It's not random and it's not like I'm sleeping around, it's one guy," Bonnie said in defense. "I've been in a relationship since I was a teenager. Tyler was the only guy I'd ever been with and I watched all my friends experience the dating life. It seemed like you and Caroline always had a different guy falling for you. I'm not mad about that. I was so in love with Tyler I didn't see anyone else, but that might finally be changing."

"Look, I think you should see what's out there once you're ready," Elena specified. "I know how you are and I don't want lust to blind you and then you catch feelings for Damon and get sucked into this thing with him. You saw what he did to Caroline. I don't want you to end up hurt, Bonnie."

Bonnie sighed. "You have nothing to worry about, Elena," she promised. "There's no feelings involved with Damon and I, and we have no claim on each other. We got it out of our systems and I doubt anything else will happen between us."

"Liam asked me about you at work today," she informed Bonnie.

"He did?"

Elena nodded. "He's asked me about you everyday since we went to NoBu," she revealed. "He really likes you."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because you have options," she explained. "Don't ever think you have to settle." She turned and stalked away, leaving Bonnie with plenty of things to think about.


	6. The Deep

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. They belong to The CW. No copyright infringement intended.

* * *

**6 - The Deep**

**_This would be pure disaster _**

**_Life spent on the surface for you_**

**_I need the waves_**

**_The deep escape_**

**_\- Data Romance_**

_I need to change my wallpaper. _Damon thought this to himself as he sat in front of his MacBook and gazed upon a smiling Rebekah, something he hadn't seen her do in actuality in ages. She had such a pretty smile, he wished he had been able to make her do it more. Skype was telling him she was online as well. After a momentary internal debate, he hit the call button. It rang and rang, and just before he was about give up her face popped up on the screen.

"Hello, Damon." She was completely made up and looked to be wearing a dress fitting for the club. Damon's brows furrowed.

"Why does it seem like every time we talk now you're about to go out?" Damon quipped.

"What does it matter to you if I go out?" She asked, tilting her head and looking at him curiously. Damon shook his head.

"It doesn't," he said. "You can do what you want."

"You called for a reason," she said. "Is there something you want to say to me?" Damon thought about this and was distracted by a pair of really long legs passing by in the background.

"Who is that?"

"Oh, an old friend," Rebekah replied with a smile, beckoning to the person. "You remember Hayley, don't you?" Hayley appeared in front of the webcam, very done up as well, clearly ready to hit the town. Damon's frown deepened.

"Are you serious?!" He exclaimed. "You nearly ended me because you thought I was messing around with her, now you two are besties again? In what world does that make sense?"

"Relax, Damon, it's not that serious," Hayley replied, coolly. "I gave her some time to cool off, then we met up and talked about it, and now we've moved on past that little misunderstanding. Now it's time for you guys to stop acting like you don't love each other and just get back together!" Hayley stood up and headed away. Damon heard her call back, "I'll be in the car when you're done!" followed by the sound of the door shutting. It was weird to him. That place had been his home for almost a year and now he was seeing it on camera instead of actually being there, something he never foresaw being a permanent situation.

"Glad you guys were able to work it out," Damon said in a flat voice. "I don't want to keep you from your night of fun. Have a good time."

"Damon, stop it," Rebekah said, seriously. "You called because you miss me. Did you not?"

"I called because you were the only person on Skype right now and I'm bored."

"Don't be an ass!" She snapped. "This is your home now, not Mystic Falls. Stop running from your problems and come back so we can work on things. I'm sorry for the way I acted that last night you were here, okay? It was impulsive and I should've heard you out."

Damon nodded. "Does that mean we can have civil conversations from here on out?"

"Are you asking because you're going to come back?"

"I'm not saying that, Bekah," he replied. "I don't want us to hate each other. We had something good once, but I don't want to give you false hope. It's obvious we're not meant to be in a relationship."

"We can get the good back," Rebekah pressed. "If you don't want me to go out, I won't. I'll stay here and we can talk all night, just like we used to. We can get everything off our chests, and maybe talk about starting over." Damon's eyes seemed to read a mixture of emotions and Rebekah wished more than anything she could reach out and touch him. She missed him too much, and no amount of partying would distract her from just how much she missed him.

He pondered for a quick moment, then shook his head. "No, you go out and have fun," he said and she frowned. "Don't let me stop you from doing anything you want to do. You're a free woman now. Be safe."

"I love you, Damon." She looked like she was on the verge of tears as her webcam shut off.

"I love you too, Rebekah."

* * *

_What r u doing?_

_nm kinda bored_

_I can help with that_

_Aren't u tired of sneaking around? And i'm in my pjs, don't feel like going anywhere_

_I'll come 2 u_

Bonnie had to think about this for a moment. If she allowed Damon to come over, there probably wouldn't be much talking, and her Grams was down the hall sleeping. She didn't want to disrespect her Grams' house but she'd never explicitly stated no boys after dark.

_You have 2 be quiet_, she told him via text.

_I can be quiet. Can you?_

Bonnie sucked her teeth and texted back, _Shut up. Txt me when ur outside._

Bonnie got up from the bed and made her way into the bathroom. She checked her self in the mirror, and even though she wasn't wearing her make-up she found herself to be presentable. She ran a brush through her hair in an attempt to cure the bedhead she'd acquired from laying on it for the past hour. Bonnie had to shake her head at herself. When did she start caring about her appearance around him, and why?

She received Damon's arrival text about twenty minutes later. When she opened the door, he was getting out of his car. As he rounded the car all she could think to herself was, 'Damn, he looks good'.

"You have to be quiet," she instructed in a low tone as he stepped into the dark house. "I don't want to wake my Grams and I don't know how she'll feel about you being here."

"Okay, but I can't see shit," he half-whispered. Bonnie took his hand and led him through the house to her bedroom.

"This is it?" Damon quipped after taking a quick look around.

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "Sorry we're not all trust fund babies who inherit million dollar mansions."

He smirked at her. "You're cute when you're jealous of my life." He took her by the waist and pulled her closer to him. "And I like you're little pink pajamas." He started kissing her. She moved her hands over his shoulders, sliding off his jacket. and he lifted her up, carrying her over to the bed.

He broke out of the kiss as he put her down. She slid upward on the bed, keeping her eyes on his, then grabbed him by the shirt and pulled his body down on top of hers. They kissed more fervently, she grabbed his shirt and pulled it up over his head, tossing it to the side. He pulled down the top of her tank top, and her hand found it's way into his hair as he sucked on her breasts. She was dripping by the time he pulled down her tiny shorts.

She closed her legs by instinct, but he separated them and pushed them up. Without a warning, he dove in. A gasp escaped Bonnie as she felt his tongue going to work. Damon had been dying to taste her again, and this time he was going to bring her to completion doing it.

"Shit, that feels so good," she moaned. His blue eyes peered up at her, and he hardened even more at the sight of her ecstasy face. When she realized how loud her moaning was getting, she placed a part of the pillow over her mouth.

Damon did not relent, and was not satisfied until her release came. The pillow muffled her cries as she came. Damon moved from between her legs and lay on his back beside her.

"Damn, you're really good at that," she breathed and Damon smirked.

"If you'd wanted to, you could've had some of this action years ago," he replied.

"No, I couldn't," she refuted. "You were too loose, and I don't sleep with more than one man at once."

He snorted. "Please."

"What?"

"You're telling me you're not still knocking off Lockwood?"

"I'm not."

He didn't reply, just got up from the bed and went over to her window. "Oh, you have a back porch," he observed, spotting the swing on it. "It's a nice night. We should go sit out there."

"Really?"

"Yeah, come on. We won't have to worry about waking your Grams."

"Fine." Bonnie got up and fixed herself as Damon threw his shirt back on. Bonnie was surprised he wanted to do anything more than fuck her brains out, then leave immediately afterwards, but she would go with it for now. They crept quietly out of the room and through the back door, then settled onto the porch swing. The night was quiet and the air was still.

"Is this the part where we have a deep, heartfelt conversation and I realize you're not the asshole I always thought you were and we start to fall madly in love with each other?" Bonnie questioned, sardonically.

"I don't do deep conversations," he replied. "And I am an asshole, I know this about myself, and I accept it. I can admit, however, there has been times I was unnecessarily an asshole to you."

"Is that your way of apologizing without actually saying it?"

Damon shrugged. "It was only sometimes," he clarified. "A lot of times you ask for it."

"Fuck off."

"See what I mean?" Damon gave her a look and they both laughed.

"Okay, I admit it, I've been very cold to you," she said. "Seeing your treatment of women, my best friend included, and how unapologetic you were...I can't stand guys like you. The cocky, entitled, trouble-making guys who always seem to get what they want, even when they don't deserve it."

"Geesh, how long have you been holding that in?"

"I'm sorry, it's just crazy to me how different you are from Stefan."

"Don't you think that's some of the problem?" he asked. She looked at him curiously. "Everyone who's ever known us has compared me to Stefan. Even my parents, who always preferred him, and tried and failed to mold me into another Stefan. He's the kind, caring, responsible brother. The one who wants to get along with everyone, the one who's sensitive to other people's feelings. Me on the other hand, I don't give a fuck about anyone who doesn't truly give a fuck about me, and I don't care what anyone thinks of me. Stefan is the only family I have left, I don't pretend to love anyone else. I'm blunt, I drink a lot, and I like women. I'm self-aware, and straightforward about these qualities. In comparison to Stefan, I'm always going to be the douchey one. Why don't people just stop comparing us? I'm not Stefan, I never will be Stefan, and people need to stop trying to make me into him." There was a moment of silence as his words settled.

Finally, Bonnie jokingly added. "How long have you been holding that in?" Damon shook his head but smiled. Bonnie continued, "You guys are brothers, so I guess the comparisons are inevitable, but Stefan isn't perfect either. We both know he has a past, things Elena doesn't even know about, but he's learned from his mistakes and he's grown, become a better man."

"I've changed too," Damon declared. "I never wanted to before, never a had reason too."

"Then you fell in love," Bonnie finished for him. "Rebekah blew into your life and she was the first person you loved that wasn't your family. Right?"

Damon rolled his eyes to the sky. "Stop trying to get me to open up," he scolded. "I told you. I don't do deep conversations."

"You've already opened up," Bonnie told him. "Your mother didn't love you properly, and for awhile Rebekah did." Damon huffed but didn't say anything to contest her words. Bonnie gazed at him, though he wouldn't meet her eyes. "You're not over her, are you?"

"Maybe I'm not," he admitted, reluctantly. "Just like you're not over the douchey football player. Because we're idiots."

"I'm not over Tyler," she agreed. "As much as I wish I was already, I wish we could be together, happily, even more."

"He has to want to change but if you keep going back to him, he won't feel the need to."

Bonnie nodded. "Wise words, Salvatore." She sighed and gazed up at the stars. "We've never just talked like this."

"We're growing," he said, humorously.

"Yeah, I'm still not sure how we went from having constant screaming matches to having constant sex," she said. "I never thought I'd have a friends with benefits situation, but if I did I definitely never thought it would be with you. It's bizarre."

"If it makes you more comfortable, we can be enemies with benefits."

Bonnie laughed. "We're a mess. In love with other people but we keep ending up in each other's beds. Messy."

Damon shrugged. "Speaking of beds," his hand found it's way to her leg. "If you're up for another round, I'm ready to fuck you into submission, have you screaming my name, waking up all your neighbors."

"Not going to happen in this house."

"Fuck, I can't wait for the day I get to fuck you freely and we can be as loud as we want."

"What makes you so sure you'll ever get to have me again?" Bonnie teased.

"Because I've been giving it too good for you to want to stop now," he boasted. "I'm like a drug, baby, you'll need rehab to get me out of your system."

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "Ugh, you're so full of yourself it's so disgusting," she said, getting off the swing. "There will be no fucking me into submission. It's really late and I have work in a few hours. Take a hike, Salvatore."

"You haven't even returned the favor. I feel used," Damon said, pretending to be hurt.

"Not so fun when it happens to you, is it?" Bonnie grabbed his arms and pulled him off the swing. He grabbed her hips and stepped closer to her, his eyes boring down into hers.

"I hope you really aren't sleeping with Lockwood," he said. "I want to be the only one allowed between your legs."

"We're putting rules on our hook-ups now?"

"No, but you'd be thinking of me while your on top of him anyway, so you mind as well save yourself for the real thing."

"I already told you how I do things," she said. "You'll know if I'm fucking Tyler because I won't be fucking you."

* * *

Bonnie was very tired during her work shift the next morning. After her late night tryst with Damon, she had to strain to keep her eyes open, but she had no regrets. Grams didn't stay long, leaving just her and Layla running the shop, so she had to drink plenty of coffee and perk up so she could successfully sell to customers.

She was in the back room checking her messages at one point in the day when she heard Layla calling her name. "Bonnie! You're needed up front!"

Bonnie emerged from the back to find a delivery man with a huge, beautiful bouquet of flowers. "You Bonnie Bennett?" Delivery Man asked.

"Yes," replied a nonplussed Bonnie.

"These are for you." She took them from him. "Have a good day ma'am." Bonnie carried the heavy bouquet to the back, followed by Layla, and placed them on the table.

"They're beautiful," Layla gushed. "Who are they from?"

Bonnie had a hunch but she checked the card anyway. _Still missing you, Tyler. _"Ty," Bonnie said with a sigh.

"Wow, he really wants you back," Layla said. Bonnie only nodded. "So?"

"So what?"

"Are you going to take him back?"

"Just because he sent some flowers he probably didn't pick out himself?" she said. "Don't think so."

"Not because of the flowers, because you love him."

"Sometimes love isn't enough."

"Come on, you two were my relationship goals," Layla said. "I saw how in love you were with each other. Love conquers all, Miss Bonnie. You can work it out." Bonnie used to believe that and she wasn't sure if she still did. She wasn't sure she didn't believe it either.

* * *

It had been a long day. Between keeping her eyes open, dealing with a rude customer, nearly suffering from a heart attack after a child almost broke one of the antiques, and trying to explain to Layla the complications of a serious relationship without outright telling her to just mind her own damn business, she was more than ready to go home. Layla was still a teenager, with a messy love life and just wanted some advice so Bonnie had tried her best to give it, but it was hard to give advice on love when your own love life was such a failure.

On the way home, she stopped for gas. She was bent over in her car, digging through her purse for her bank card, when she heard a voice call her name. She popped up and a cute male nurse was approaching her.

"Hey," she said, a look of surprise on her face.

"I thought that was you," Liam said with a smile. He wrapped her up in a hug. "Wow. How have you been?"

"Good, and you?" A look of incredulity still painted Bonnie's face as he pulled away. The night after she slept with Damon once again, her ex sends her flowers, and she runs into the guy who's supposedly crushing on her at the gas station of all places. Her life was not like others.

"I've been good," he said. "I've asked Elena about you a couple times, so I'm happy to run into you. You left the club so suddenly that night, we never got a proper goodbye."

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that," she said. "I was just tired and really ready to get out of there. I should've said bye to everyone."

"It's okay," he said and noticeably looked her up and down. "Wow, you look really beautiful."

Bonnie made a face. "Thank you," she said, a little humor in her tone. This was definitely one of her plain days. After her late night, she didn't feel like coming to work, let alone get cute for it. She'd barely done anything with her hair, had very little make-up on, and was still in her work clothes. Maybe Liam was being nice, maybe not, but either way she appreciated the compliment. She gave him a quick once-over as well. He was definitely looking good in his fitted black shirt, that hugged his muscular arms perfectly, and what looked like brand new True Religion jeans. Bonnie was used to bigger guys, Liam was a lot smaller in stature than Damon and especially Tyler, but he kept fit and it was noticeable. "You do too." Bonnie realized her error and Liam laughed. "I mean you look good."

"Thanks." His smile widened. "Would I be wrong to assume that you're still single?"

"I am single but, yes, you'd be wrong to assume that," she replied, half-jokingly.

"Sorry, you're right," he said. He looked past her and spotted the flowers stored in the back seat of her Prius. "So, I won't assume that you didn't send those flowers to yourself, then."

"You're hilarious," Bonnie said, sarcastically and he chuckled. "No, those are from...a friend."

"Got it," he said with a shrug. "Not my business anyway. Well, I have a family gathering to get to, but I have to ask if we can exchange numbers. I would love to talk with you more."

Bonnie sighed. She knew that was coming but had still sort of hoped it wouldn't. "I'm not sure if that's a good idea right now..."

"Elena explained to me that you're just out of a serious relationship," he revealed. "I get it, no pressure. I'm not asking for anything more than to talk to you."

"So, you're okay with just talking?" Bonnie asked, doubtfully.

"Absolutely."

"Okay, but you have to promise me something," she said. He nodded. "You can't ask me out. You have to promise that you're not going to ask me out."

This was a first for Liam. "Ever?"

"Ever."

"Fine," he said. "But you have to promise me something."

"What?"

"When you're ready to move on, you'll ask _me_ out," he requested. That was definitely a first for Bonnie. She smiled and nodded.

"Deal."

* * *

**A/N: So, this chapter was kind of light (and sorry for no Stefan) but trust me, there's a lot in store for Damon and Bonnie, who's man palate is getting kind of crowded, lol. Please review and thanks for reading. :)**

**Sidenote: I recently posted a Bamon one-shot, just in case you need a sweeter side of Bamon to hold you over until TVD and I update my other fic(s). Thanks again!**


	7. Pendulum

**Song Credit: Pendulum by FKA Twigs**

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. They are the creative property of The CW. No copyright infringement intended.

* * *

**7 - Pendulum**

_**I've got time, but you're tired of waiting**_

_**You only want me in open spaces...**_

_**How does it feel to have me thinking about you?**_

_**Wishing that words were enough to consume you**_

_**\- FKA Twigs**_

"Say it again and I'll kick your ass!"

"We've been through this before, Bo, you're not capable of kicking my ass." Stefan had a condescending smirk on his face and Bonnie was ready to teach him a lesson. Matt Donovan and Elena's younger brother, Jeremy, had been laughing at their back and forth. Bonnie stepped closer to Stefan, her chest puffed out.

"Want to say that again," she challenged.

Stefan dropped his voice and narrowed his eyes. "Bring it."

Matt and Jeremy cheered as Bonnie pounced on him. She attached herself to his upper body and beat her fists on his back. It took Stefan a moment to gather himself but he gripped her with both hands and managed to pull her off, gently slamming her onto the ground. Elena wandered in from the kitchen, attracted by all the noise.

"What's going on?" She asked Matt and Jeremy.

"Stefan said she couldn't kick his ass," Jeremy explained.

"Oh. In that case." Elena quickly kicked off her shoes and approached the wrestling pair. Stefan suddenly felt someone on his back, pulling him backward. Elena wrapped her arm around his neck and her legs around his torso and held him as he fell back and Bonnie scrambled off the floor to take advantage.

"Ah! They're jumping me!" Stefan cried in false horror. "You guys gotta help me!"

Matt moved from the couch and scooped up Bonnie, who shrieked with laughter as he lifted her up then brought her back down on the ground. Soon, all of them were wrestling and making so much noise they didn't hear the sound of the front door opening. Damon strolled into the living room and rolled his eyes at the sight of them.

"Hey, children!" He cried. "Everything in here costs more than your cars! You break it, good luck paying for it!"

"Ugh, thanks Grandpa, for always being a killjoy," Elena muttered as they all disentangled themselves from each other and got back on their feet.

"Sorry for not being amused by a bunch of adults playing Wrestlemania in my living-room. Look, I got the damn cups you asked for," he snapped, holding up the red Solo party cups. "Have you even ordered the pizza yet?"

"I was just about to," Elena said, swiping the cups from him as she strutted back to the kitchen. "Come on, Bon." Bonnie followed her, giving Damon a sly smile as she passed him. It had been awhile since the high school friends had all hung out together so Elena had suggested they come to Stefan's house and watch the football game, complete with pizza and wings. The girls didn't care that much for football, but it was a way to bring them all together. The only ones missing were Caroline, who'd married and moved out of Mystic Falls two years ago, and Tyler, for obvious reasons. Tyler was still good friends with Jeremy and Matt, and Bonnie wasn't sure if they'd told him about his exclusion from the get-together and she wasn't going to ask. Damon hadn't technically been apart of their high school crew, seeing as he'd graduated years before all of them, but he'd always been around, and his living at the boardinghouse secured his invite. Regardless, Bonnie was looking forward to hanging with all of them.

Bonnie didn't pay much attention to the game. She was more focused on her phone, as Liam had been texting her all day. She'd been enjoying talking to him over the last few weeks. They usually texted throughout the day, and sometimes would hold late-night phone conversations that would last for hours. He was intelligent, funny, and incredibly sweet. Bonnie wasn't sure what was keeping her from asking him out, but appreciated his patience.

When she wandered into the kitchen to refill her Coke, she felt someone creep up behind her. "Care to share the joke?" Damon asked, standing so close to her his lips were practically pressed against her ear.

"Excuse me?" She asked. He moved from behind her and took the bottle of Coke from her hand.

"You've been looking at your phone and smiling for the past hour," he elaborated. "I was just wondering what was so amusing."

"I'm sure you wouldn't get it, Damon," Bonnie replied, derisively.

"Try me."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Why are you so worried about who I'm talking to?"

"Worried isn't the right word," he said. "Just curious. What are you doing later tonight?" His voice had dropped and he gently moved the hair from her face. "I've missed you, Bon. It's been over a week since we've-"

"Hey, is there anymore soda left?" Matt's loud voice announced his arrival. Damon quickly stepped away from Bonnie but Matt narrowed his eyes at them suspiciously.

"There's only Coke left." Bonnie answered him. Matt approached the counter and proceeded to pour himself some.

"We were talking about heading to the Grill after this," Matt told them. "You guys down?"

Damon fixed his blue eyes on Bonnie. "You down Bon Bon?"

"I don't see why not," she said with a shrug. "i could use a drink or two."

"Well, I'm definitely down for that," Damon declared. He took his cup, smirked at them, and strode out of the kitchen.

"What was that about?" Matt questioned Bonnie. "And what did I walk into a minute ago."

"Nothing," she said. "Just Damon being Damon."

"The Damon I know would've somehow gotten under your skin by now," he replied. "The lack of arguing between you two is off-putting."

"Maybe I'm tired of arguing." She took her drink and walked out.

Just as the game was coming to an end she got a call. _Liam_. She stepped away from her friends before picking it up.

"Hey Bonnie," Liam said, cheerfully. "I couldn't get over the fact that you've never seen a Fast and Furious movie, so I went and picked up the first one."

"You did?"

"Yeah, what do you say to a movie night?"

"Liam..."

"Hey, we've been talking for almost a month and I haven't asked you out, just like I promised," he pointed out. "I'm still not. I'm asking you in...for a completely platonic movie night."

Bonnie looked back at her friends who were all getting ready to step out. "Now's not really a good time," she told Liam, uncertainly. "Me and my friends were just about to go to the Grill."

"Well, that clearly wasn't an invitation for me to come hang out with you guys, so..."

"You know what, I go to the Grill all the time," Bonnie said, making the decision on a whim. "They don't need me around this time. I'll come watch the movie with you, and I expect it to be brilliant."

"I don't know about brilliant, but I can promise you it's fast...and furious."

"Never repeat that joke to anyone," Bonnie instructed.

"It was terrible, I'm sorry. See you soon, Bonnie."

"See you soon." Bonnie ended the call then walked over to her friends.

"You ready to go?" Stefan asked her.

"I'm going to have to rain check with you guys," she said. "Something just came up."

"Is everything okay?" Elena asked her.

"Yeah, everything's fine," she assured. "Just take a shot for me, okay." They all walked out of the house, expressing their disappointment, and reluctantly accepted Bonnie's bailing on them as they hugged her goodbye. Damon seemed the least thrilled as he embraced her.

"Am I going to see you later?" He asked in a whisper.

"Not tonight, Damon. Bye!" The last word was for Stefan and Elena who were already pulling off in Stefan's car. She gave them a wave and looked back at Damon who was grilling her. "I'm sorry, okay. I'm busy tonight." She strode off and Damon watched her go.

* * *

Bonnie was positioned high on a ladder, organizing some items on the top shelf. Her Grams was shouting instructions from the floor and Bonnie did her best not to snap back at her. It wasn't worth the headache from the scolding that would come after.

"I know what I'm doing," Bonnie said as she climbed down the ladder. "No need to yell yourself hoarse."

"What'd you say, child?" Grams snapped as Bonnie walked past her.

"Nothing," she said in a falsely sweet voice. The sound of the bell above the door went off as someone entered the shop. In waltzed, Damon Salvatore, confident stride and cocky grin in place.

"Damon?" Bonnie said his name in astonishment. He'd never before stepped foot in her shop, she wasn't even sure he knew where it was or cared to know anything about it. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, hello to you too, Bon Bon." He looked to Sheila. "Good afternoon, Ms. Bennett, you're looking radiant."

"Thank you, Damon," she said with a small smile. "It's a change seeing you in here. What brings you in today?"

"I was just in the neighborhood," he said, casually. "Thought I'd stop by and say hello. Maybe take your lovely granddaughter to lunch if she'll allow it." Sheila looked at Bonnie with a raised brow.

"Damon, why would you want to do that?" Bonnie asked with a panicked expression.

"It's just lunch with a good friend, what's the problem?" Damon said with a smirk. Bonnie looked to her Grams.

"It's up to you," Grams said with a shrug.

Bonnie sighed. "Let me grab my purse." She went into the back room and Sheila followed her.

"I hope you know what you're doing, chile."

"What do you mean?" Bonnie asked innocently as she grabbed her favorite Michael Kors bag, courtesy of Tyler Lockwood while they were together, out of her locker.

"You've been telling me about this supposedly great guy, Liam, you've been talking to yet Damon Salvatore is popping up again," Sheila said, a hint of disapproval in her tone.

"Damon and I are just friends," Bonnie assured her. "Liam and I are only talking. I'm not dating either of them."

"So neither of these boys are who you were sneaking off to go see in the middle of the night?" Sheila inquired. Bonnie's heart dropped. "I'm not stupid, chile, I know you've been trotting off to see somebody. I don't know if it's this one, I don't know if it's the nurse, or that fool, Tyler, but I know you've been smiling a lot more lately, but I've also noticed you stayed in this week."

"Grams, listen, I...

"You're a grown woman, Bonnie," she said. "I'm not going to get all in your business if you don't want me to, but I will tell you to be careful. Tyler hasn't changed in the past six years, he isn't going to change now. Damon has been known to make his way around town. You don't want to be just another conquest for him. If it's friendly, I suggest you keep it friendly."

"What about Liam?"

"If you say he's a nice guy, then I'll believe you," she said. "But take it slow." Bonnie nodded.

"Thanks Grams." She smiled and gave Sheila a quick hug before heading past her.

"I need you back by two!" Sheila called after her.

Damon and Bonnie settled at a small cafe within walking distance from the shop. It was a nice day so they decided to sit outside. Bonnie didn't fail to notice how the young waitress only seemed to be focused on Damon when she came to take their drink order, or the little flirty smile he gave her as she walked away.

"You just can't help it, can you?" Bonnie quipped with a shake of the head.

"Help what?"

"Flirting. You have to flirt with every pretty, young thing that you make eye contact with," Bonnie said.

"I didn't flirt with her, I was just being friendly," he said, then added a teasing, "Geesh, when did you get so jealous?"

"Definitely not jealous." Bonnie picked up her menu and started looking it over. "You know, as long as this place has been here I've never eaten here."

"Yeah, we all need to get out of the Grill a little more often," Damon said. "May I suggest the chicken alfredo. It's the best in town."

Bonnie nodded. "Sure, I'll try it." When the waitress came back to take their order, Damon didn't give her a second glance. Bonnie ended up going with a chicken salad instead and Damon stuck with the chicken alfredo. They chatted as they waited for their food, Damon asking about her day and what it was like running the shop with her Grams. He made some jokes, Bonnie laughed, and when he reached across the table for her hand, Bonnie panicked and pulled away.

"What are you doing?" She snapped.

"You have soft hands. I wanted to hold them," he said, innocently.

"Why did you invite me here?" She questioned in a serious manner. "We don't do things like this. We made an agreement that we wouldn't do things like this."

"We're just eating, why are you making it weird?"

"It is weird. You're being nice, you haven't made a single sarcastic remark yet, you're acting like you care about my day, and now you're trying to be affectionate. Who are you and what have you done with Damon Salvatore?"

"Would you really prefer it if I was an asshole 24/7?"

"It feels like you've tricked me into a date," Bonnie said. "We're not dating. You were very clear about how you felt about the dating thing as well. I hope that's not changing."

"Okay, first of all, I don't have to trick women into dates," Damon snapped. "So, don't flatter yourself. Second of all, if we were to go on a date, it surely wouldn't be in the middle of your shift at this place." Damon narrowed his eyes at her. "What are you so afraid of, Bonnie?"

"I'm not afraid," Bonnie said, before shifting her eyes away.

"You've been trying to distance yourself from me for the past couple weeks. Why?" Damon grilled her but Bonnie didn't reply, just pretended to study the drink menu. Damon snatched it from her hands.

"What do you want me to say, Damon?!" Bonnie exclaimed, drawing a few looks.

"Just tell me the truth," he said. "Are you seeing somebody? Is it Lockwood?"

"He's been trying to wiggle his way back into my life, but no, it's not him." Bonnie said. "It's Liam. We've just been talking for awhile. We only just hung out for the first time the other day."

"After the game when you blew everybody off," Damon clarified. "I knew it."

"I didn't blow you guys off, I - " The waitress came at that moment with their food. Seeming to sense the tension at the table, she quickly dropped off the plates, then ghosted away. "Look, I haven't been trying to push you away, but sometimes a girl might choose a night of good conversation over being bent over a flat surface. At least a girl like me."

"That guy is a tool, Bonnie. He wants sex just like the rest of us. It's his endgame."

"You don't even know him," Bonnie argued. "That night you and I sat on the porch and talked, you opened up to me. After that, you shut down again and it went back to being all about sex. That's fine, but you couldn't have expected me to never find a deeper connection elsewhere."

"It'll seem deep until he scores. See how many 'deep' conversations you have after that."

"You don't even know what you're talking about."

"You mean to tell me he hasn't made a single move yet?" Damon quipped. "You went to his house, alone, and you both sat two feet apart on the couch and watched Disney movies the whole time?" They hadn't sat two feet apart. They'd enjoyed the movie in close vicinity, snacking on a bowl of popcorn, and halfway through Liam had put his arm around her. Bonnie let him keep it there.

"What we did is really none of your business," Bonnie scoffed.

"Well, you did say you'd stop sleeping with me when you found someone else to fuck so - "

"That's not what I said!"

"So, since you've been blowing me off I'm going to assume you're already fucking this guy!" There was a raging fire in his eyes. Nice-guy Damon had left the table. "Which means that you're not looking for a deeper connection, you're just taking dick where you can get it!"

"Fuck you!" Bonnie slightly rose out of her chair, but gripped onto the arms of it, using every fiber of her being to not sock him dead in the mouth.

"You wanted me to be an asshole to make this all easier for you, right?" Damon snapped. "Well, you got your wish!" He threw his fork down and got up from the table. Bonnie was left seething as he walked away, leaving her there alone.

* * *

The next day Bonnie went shopping. She learned from Caroline, if you needed to clear your head or blow off some steam, or just do something nice for yourself, shopping was the answer. She already had an armful of bags, stuffed with expensive clothes, perfumes, underwear, and shoes, by the time she ventured into the fourth store. Mystic Falls' shopping district was very limited when it came to designer clothes, you had to go out-of-town if you really wanted supreme fashion choices, but it would do this time around.

Bonnie's phone rang as she studied a cute black and white mini-dress that would go perfectly with a pair of heels she'd just purchased. She rummaged through her bags and managed to pull the phone out just before the caller gave up. "Hello?"

"Hey, I was just about to hang up," Liam said.

"Sorry, I kind have my arms full here," Bonnie replied.

"In that case, I'll make it quick," he said. "I got Fast and Furious 2. After your many comments about Paul Walker's blue eyes during the first one, I figured you'd be excited to see the next one. They're just as blue in this one." He chuckled and Bonnie smiled.

"That sounds cool," she said. "Are you free tomorrow night?"

"I am now."

"Why don't we go to dinner first?" Bonnie suggested, feeling a slight spike of nervousness. "Then we can watch the movie after."

"Hold up...are you asking me out, Bonnie Bennett?"

Bonnie chuckled. "I think I am, Liam Davis."

"Wow, I feel like I just won the lottery," he said, humorously. "Tomorrow night it is. I can't wait."

"Neither can I," she said, grabbing the black-and-white dress off the rack. This was going to be her first official date in six years. She had to look her best.

* * *

When Bonnie arrived home she was surprised to see a familiar car parked in the driveway. She grabbed all of her bags from the backseat, then made her way into the house. She could hear voices coming from the kitchen and walked in to see Grams with a Salvatore, pulling out the best china. Bonnie's brow furrowed in confusion.

"Um...hi?" She said. They both looked back and smiled at her.

"You finally made it home!" Stefan exclaimed. His eyes widened at the sight of all her shopping bags. "Did you go shopping for a small village first?"

"No," she said, elongating the 'o'. "What are you guys doing?"

"I made Sunday dinner," Grams offered.

"She invited me," Stefan said. "Don't you remember? You told me about it a long time ago."

"Oh, that's right," she said. "I completely forgot. You should've reminded me, Grams. I would've helped you cook."

"It's all right, chile," Sheila replied, with a dismissive wave of the hand. "You've been in such a bad mood since yesterday, I figured you needed some time to yourself." Bonnie hadn't realized her emotions were so easily detected. Damon had severely pissed her off the day before, and hurt her feelings, though she'd yet to admit that to herself. Leaving her alone in that restaurant was a major dick move, and the fact that he'd stopped inside to pay the bill didn't excuse his behavior. He hadn't made contact since then, and she sure as shit wasn't going to. As far as she was concerned, they were done.

Promising a quick return, Bonnie went into her room and deposited the bags onto the bed. The dining table had already been set and Grams and Stefan were ready to eat. Stefan approached her as she was getting the last platter of food from the kitchen to bring to the table.

"Everything all right with you?" He asked, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I'm fine, Stefan," she said with a small smile that didn't reach her eyes.

"Are you sure, Bo?" He pressed and she nodded. "So, you don't want to tell me what happened yesterday that put you in a bad mood?"

"It was nothing," she said, dismissively. "It was just one of those days where nothing goes how you want it to. I'm fine now."

"Okay, well, if you want to talk about it later I'm here." He took the food from Bonnie, despite her protests, and they went into the dining-room to eat. Sheila's cooking was just as good as always, and Bonnie was sure she would gain a pound or two by the end of the meal. Stefan didn't seem to care as he went for seconds.

"I forgot how good your food is, Miss Sheila," he gushed as he scooped more macaroni and cheese onto his plate. "I'll make it a point not to miss your next dinner."

"Thank you, Stefan," Sheila replied with a smile. "Where's Miss Elena tonight?"

"Working," he responded. "She really wanted to come though."

"You can make her a plate," Sheila told him and Stefan voiced his gratitude. "You're going to marry that girl?"

"Grams..." Bonnie's tone held an implication for her grandmother to mind her business.

"I'm just asking."

"No, it's okay," Stefan said with a laugh. "I think I will, Miss Sheila. I hope too. I love her very much."

"I know. I've seen it in the way you look at her," Sheila stated. Bonnie rolled her eyes when she wasn't looking. Sheila swore she could read a couple's entire relationship just by their body language. She had called that she and Tyler wouldn't work out about a year ago, but for Bonnie, that was neither here nor there. "I just hope that Bonnie finds something like that."

"Grams, don't start..."

"All I'm saying is that I want you to be happy and marry a man that deserves you," Sheila elaborated. "Like I told you before, I don't ever want you to rush into anything, but I do want some more grandbabies before my time is up."

"Don't talk like that," Bonnie snapped. "You're going to live forever, okay? And I won't be ready for any of that for a long time, but if it makes you feel any better, I have a date tomorrow night. A real one."

"You do?" Stefan asked, incredulously.

"You don't have to sound so surprised," Bonnie quipped.

"No, it's just that I didn't know you were dating again," Stefan clarified. "Who's the guy?"

"It's Liam?"

Stefan's faee scrunched. "Really? That guy?"

"Yes, that guy! I like him, okay?" Bonnie cried, defensively. Stefan held his hands up in a defensive manner, as well.

"Okay, I'm sorry, I was just asking," he said, innocently. "You just didn't seem all that into him the first time we met him."

"I've gotten to know him since then," Bonnie stated.

"I hope this keeps that brother of y-" Sheila started to say.

"Grams!" Bonnie cried, cutting off her grandmother's coming revealing statement. "Can you pass me the potatoes, please? And let's talk about something else besides my love life? Okay?"

Bonnie managed to keep her Grams from accidentally snitching on her for the rest of the meal, and she was on her the instant Stefan dismissed himself from the table. "Grams, please don't say anything about Damon and I," She practically begged.

"You haven't told your best friend that you hang out with his older brother?" Sheila asked her purposefully. "If you two are just friends, why don't you want him to know?"

"Because he won't believe Damon is capable of being just friends with a girl, no one does, and he'll assume Damon is trying to take advantage of me, and I don't want to hear his mouth about it and...I have a million reasons, Grams, can we please keep that information between us for now?"

Sheila rolled her eyes but agreed. Stefan came back to the table and looked at his friend expectantly when he took a seat. "So, Bonnie...tell us more about this guy, Liam."

* * *

Four missed calls and six text messages, all from Damon. Bonnie was going to continue to ignore him until he got the hint. Her phone was ringing again as she was getting ready for her date with Liam. She didn't give it a second glance as she wiggled into her dress. There was a knock on the front door, but she assumed her Grams, who was stationed at her usual spot on the couch, would answer it.

"Bonnie!" She heard her Grams call a minute later. "You have a guest!" Bonnie panicked. Liam wasn't supposed to be picking her up for another forty-five minutes. She hadn't even finished putting on her make-up yet. She opened her door and poked her head out.

"Tell him I'm not ready yet!" She exclaimed.

"It's me, Bonnie." Bonnie bristled at the sound of Damon's voice. She didn't have time for this.

"Tell him I don't want to see him!" Bonnie called, then slammed her door. She sat in front of the mirror and proceeded to finish her make-up, but she couldn't get over the fact that Damon had showed up uninvited. She sucked her teeth when she received a text notification, snatching her phone up.

_Sheila kicked me out of the house. Can you pls come outside and talk to me. I only need a min._

Bonnie knew there was a strong chance he wouldn't go away until she did, and she definitely didn't want him there when Liam arrived. Letting out a cry of frustration she stormed out of her room.

"That boy is still outside, looking like a lovesick puppy," Sheila quipped as Bonnie walked past her.

"Thanks for kicking him out, Grams," Bonnie said, her hand on the doorknob. "I'll get rid of him for good."

Sheila snorted. "Good luck."

Bonnie stepped outside to find Damon leaning on his Camaro. He immediately straightened as she came down the steps. "If you haven't figured it out, I have a date and no time for your bullshit!" She snapped, angrily. "You have exactly one minute. Go!"

"I was a dick to you," he said, quickly. "I was out of line, and I'm sorry. I've really enjoyed what we've had going and, me being me, had to screw it up." He stepped closer to her. "I like you, Bonnie. I've always liked you, but it's been different now that you've actually allowed me to like you. I was acting stupid and jealous yesterday because I am. I don't want to share you."

"I'm not yours to share," Bonnie stated, coldly. "This was exactly what wasn't supposed to happen, we were supposed to lead our own separate lives, and only come together to have some fun. It wasn't supposed to become this ugly thing where we're fighting over who else we're seeing. Not once have I asked you how many girls you've been with since you've been back. Not once. I don't want to know, and frankly, it's none of my business. I'm not your girl, I have no claim on you."

"Ask me now."

"What?"

"Ask me how many girls I've been with since I've been back," he commanded.

Bonnie shook her head. "I'm not doing that," she said. "Thinking about how many women you've bedded-"

"Two!" He exclaimed, holding up two fingers for emphasis. "For the past year, I've only been with two women, Rebekah and you! That may be hard for you to believe, but it's true. It would be real easy for me to go to the bar and bang the hottest chick there, and I have thought about it, but that's not fun for me anymore. There's no point when I have you. You're insanely hot, you're the only person who can make me laugh anymore, you're intelligent and driven, you're feisty and passionate, and everything I want in a woman! These other girls don't compare to you, Bonnie. You're the only one I want in my bed. So, yeah, the thought of you sharing yours with another man makes me a little crazy."

Bonnie sucked in then released a deep breath. She had only expected a half-assed apology followed by a sexual proposition from Damon. "You have really helped me get through a tough time," she said, calmly. "That was the purpose of all this. I don't want a rebound relationship. I would just be setting myself up to be hurt again."

"I don't want a rebound relationship, either," Damon said. "It doesn't need to be a relationship but it doesn't have to be just sex either. Whatever you think you're getting from this guy, you can get from me. You can talk to me about anything, we can have those late-night conversations. We can just hang out." Damon gently cupped Bonnie's face. "Don't go on this date, Bonnie. I can take you out, anywhere you want to go."

"I'm not going to blow Liam off to go on a date with you," Bonnie told him. "That's not right and it's not fair to him. I've been taking it slow and he's been patient. I have no plans to rush into a relationship with him, Damon."

"Then go to dinner with him and let him down easy," Damon requested. "End it there. Don't go home with him."

"You can't dictate my life, Damon."

He snatched his hand away from her face. "Listen, I made it clear where I stand," he said in an agitated tone. "I'm not going to be competing with this asshole for your time. I don't share my women!"

"I'm not yours!" Bonnie shouted.

"That's not what you said when you were fucking me!" Damon shouted back. Bonnie responded by sending a sharp, stinging slap across his face.

"You need to go. Now." She spoke through gritted teeth as she fought back tears.

"Bonnie..."

"I've had enough of your disrespect," she snapped. "Go."

Damon stepped back, and after a brief moment of contemplation, walked off. "Have fun on your date," he remarked snidely, as he rounded the car. "Hope it works out for you." He got in the car and gave the door a good slam before starting it up and peeling away like he was looking for an accident.

* * *

"You have beautiful eyes."

Liam hadn't taken his eyes off of Bonnie since they'd sat down in the upscale, and pricey seafood restaurant in the next town over from Mystic Falls. Bonnie didn't mind being a passenger in Liam's Audi for the twenty minutes it took to get there. As Bonnie was eating her food, Liam was drinking her in like she was the only woman in the room.

"Thank you." She replied to his compliment with a smile. She'd tried to maintain a smile throughout the date but she couldn't get her last encounter with Damon out of her head. It was almost keeping her from enjoying herself.

"It seems like something's been on your mind all night," Liam observed. "You know you can talk to me."

"It's nothing, really," Bonnie said. "Just had a fight with one of my friends."

"Was it serious?"

"Serious enough that I don't think we're going to be friends anymore," she replied, sadness creeping into her tone.

"If this person really cares about you, and they mean a lot to you, I'm sure you guys will be able to work it out," he advised. "Good friends are hard to come by. You want to hold on to the ones you have."

Bonnie nodded. "I think you're right," she said. "Thanks for that."

"No problem. It's funny, because we've talked so much, I already feel like I've known you for years." The conversation moved along and after a second glass of wine, Bonnie loosened up. They held hands as they stepped out of the restaurant and waited for valet to bring his car around. The night was cooling down, causing Bonnie to slightly shiver. She felt Liam's jacket being draped over her shoulders right after. She gave him a smile and he wrapped his arm around her, bringing her body closer to his and she leaned into him, basking in his body heat.

When they were finally in the car and back on the road, Liam asked her, "So what are you thinking? We could go to my place and watch the movie, or we could go somewhere else first. There's this place by Five Mile Pond that has really good ice-cream."

"Sounds good to me," Bonnie replied and Liam smiled.

Thirty minutes later they were walking toward the pond, ice-cream in hand. They found a bench overlooking it and took a seat, Liam notably leaving little space between them. "I've had such a good time tonight," Bonnie said, scooping up a spoonful of her birthday cake ice-cream.

"I hope that means there's a second date in our future," Liam said, hopefully.

"We'll see how the rest of the night goes first," Bonnie replied, jokingly.

"I'll be sure not to screw it up," he promised. He put his arm up on the top of the bench and she scooted closer to him, wrapping his jacket tighter around her. He brought his arm down around her. "I was starting to think you would never ask me out. I was kicking myself for agreeing to your terms."

"I just needed a little bit of time."

"This was worth the wait," he said, softly. "And I'm going to have to send Elena a thank-you gift for introducing us." Bonnie chuckled. She would have to express her gratitude for Elena's inadvertent match-making as well. It would come in the form of words, though.

As the night wound down and it grew colder, they decided it was time to go. When they walked back to Liam's car, he moved in front of the passenger door to open it for her, then hesitated as he gazed at her. "Is everything okay?" Bonnie asked with a raised brow.

Liam stepped closer to her. Bonnie waited expectantly. "I've been dying to do this since I met you," he preceded, before bringing his lips to hers. The kiss was soft, and they lingered for a moment before pulling away. Bonnie opened her eyes and met his. When she didn't protest, he went back in for another. He placed both of his hands to her face as his mouth drank hers in with more ardor. He kissed her like he meant it, he kissed her like he was doing all he could to impress her. And throughout it all, Bonnie felt nothing.

* * *

It wasn't even midnight by the time Damon returned home. After calling up his drinking buddies, Lorenzo and Alaric, to hit the bar and get wasted, he ended up cutting out early after drinking far less than the amount required to get a heavyweight like him drunk. He just wasn't feeling being there like he thought he would be, and wanted to go home and soak in his misery. He'd never felt this unhappy while single before. That had changed because of one girl. One girl who used to bring him nothing but headaches when they talked.

Stefan was out with Elena so the house was quiet. He tossed his keys on the dresser as he entered his bedroom, then shrugged out of his signature black, leather jacket. His brow furrowed at the sound of the shower going in his bathroom. He would've never left that on. He made his way into the bathroom, unsure of what he'd find. The glass doors were fogged from the heat of the water, so he walked over and pulled it open.

A nude Bonnie was standing directly under the stream. Damon was taken aback by the sight of her, her immaculate body on full display, the water dripping down her mocha skin. He'd never seen a sight so beautiful. Bonnie looked at him and said nothing as it was all in her eyes. Damon didn't say a word either as he pulled his shirt over his head. Bonnie watched him strip down before he stepped into the shower. She stepped back and he stood under the stream, his eyes fixed intently on hers. She gazed up at him as the water flattened his hair and flowed down his chest, past his abs, onto his well-endowed manliness.

She placed a hand onto his chest and it slowly traveled up to around his neck. Damon then grabbed her and kissed her with his life. Their bodies were brought closer together as their mouths fused together. No words had to be spoken between two. She'd made her choice. In that shower, Damon claimed her body in a more passionate way than he'd ever had.

* * *

At the New Orleans International Airport, a beautiful blonde boarded a first-class, red-eye flight to Virginia. Rebekah Mikaelson was officially on a mission, and she wasn't one to give up until she got what she wanted. She wanted her man back, and she was going to get him.

* * *

**A/N: Hope you enjoyed. Stefan won't be in the dark too much longer, and of course with Rebekah comes drama. I'm really excited to get into it. Thanks for reading, you guys are the best. :)**


	8. Memorials

**Song Credit: Memorials by Laurel**

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. They belong to The CW. No copyright infringement intended.

* * *

**8 - Memorials**

_**Breaking up, the screaming of our love**_

_**I care too much...**_

_**Is this just the way you are?**_

_**Is this just the way we are?**_

_**\- Laurel**_

Bonnie's head rested on Damon's chest as they lay on his bed. It had been a long day of fighting, fancy restaurants, ice-cream, disappointment, and love making, but Bonnie was where she wanted to be at the end of it all.

"Damon?" She spoke softly.

"Hmm?" He didn't open his eyes.

"I think we should tell Stefan," she said.

"Tell him what, exactly?"

"I don't know," she admitted. "That's something else we should talk about. What, _exactly, _do we tell him? I just know I'm done sneaking around."

"I don't know, the sneaky aspect was kind of hot," Damon said, playfully. "Like that time we boned in front of the fireplace, knowing someone could come downstairs at any moment, but we wanted each other so bad we didn't care."

"Yeah, that was reckless," Bonnie agreed, smiling fondly at the recent memory. "Walking in on that would've scarred Stefan for life." Damon chuckled.

"I'm sorry for how I acted earlier," he said in a more serious tone. "I probably didn't deserve you coming back to me, but either way I'm so damn happy you did."

"You better be," Bonnie teased. "I had to have a really hard conversation before coming over here."

"Liam didn't take being dumped too well, I take it."

"Would you after you waited patiently for a girl who was determined to friend-zone you, she finally asked _you _out, you took her to your favorite spots, spent major bucks on her, thought everything was going perfectly, and she ends it with you before the night is even over? Let's just say it was a really awkward ride back home." Bonnie rolled away from Damon and slid off the bed.

"Where are you going?" He asked, trying to pull her back down.

"Just running downstairs to grab some water," she explained, pulling out of his grip. "I'll be right back."

"Oh good. Get me some too."

"Lazy ass," Bonnie quipped as she threw Damon's t-shirt on. She made her way out into the dark hall, closing the bedroom door after her, and headed to the stairs. She was moving fast and didn't see that there was someone coming up the stairs, causing a full on collision.

Stefan cursed loudly as the hot tea he was carrying splashed onto his shirt and the floor. "I"m so sorry!" Bonnie exclaimed with wide eyes.

"Bo? What the hell are you doing creeping around my house in the middle of the night?" He asked, frustration and confusion etched into his brow.

"I...I..." Bonnie was at a loss. She had no idea Stefan had returned home, and now she was caught. Stefan's brow remained furrowed as he looked at her, waiting for an explanation. "Stefan, listen..."

"Everything all right out here?" The hallway light snapped on and Elena approached. "Bonnie? What are you doing here?" Stefan's expression changed to one of horror as he took in what Bonnie was wearing. She bit her bottom lip nervously. The cup he was holding slipped out of his fingers and loudly hit the floor.

"I can explain," she started to say but he pushed past her and stormed over to Damon's room. "Stefan, wait!" Bonnie cried and scrambled after him.

"Uh oh," she heard Elena mutter.

Without bothering to knock, Stefan burst into Damon's room. His brother lay content beneath his sheets, his hands behind his head and the pillows propping him up against the headboard.

"Ever heard of knocking?" Damon asked with an irritated tone.

"You slept with her," Stefan said, surprisingly calm.

Damon sat up, sensing his brother's demeanor was the calm before the storm. "Listen, before you get all upset-"

Stefan entered the room and approached the bed, keeping his eyes glued to Damon. Elena and Bonnie both flanked his sides, ready to jump on him if he went into attack mode, though they both knew there was nothing they could do if Stefan really wanted to get to him.

"Why do you do this?" He asked his brother. "Why do you always have to take something good and ruin it?"

"That's not what I'm doing," Damon replied. "It's not like that."

"Don't give me that!" He snapped, his anger finally showing. "You stay your perverted ass **away** from her!" Stefan furiously made a grab for him. Elena and Bonnie both shrieked and jumped on him, Elena from the front, Bonnie throwing her arms around him from the back.

"Baby, relax," Elena said, taking his face in her hands so he had to look at her. "Let's just go to your room and take a minute, okay?" Stefan removed her hands and turned to face Bonnie.

"You? Seriously?" He looked at her with utter incredulity.

"I was going to tell you."

"Tell me what? That you had some cheap hook-up with my brother like one of his whores?"

"Stefan!" Elena cried.

"That's what this is, isn't it?" He exclaimed. "That's why you were sneaking around, and that's why you looked so damn guilty when I caught you! This man has called you every name in the book, and that's who you choose to lay with after leaving your piece of shit boyfriend?" Bonnie's heart sank at his hurtful words.

"You said you hated her, but that still wasn't enough to get you to keep your disgusting paws off of her," Stefan spat scathingly at Damon, who was sitting on the edge of the bed with the blanket wrapped around his man parts.

"We can fight over this if you want to but you have to at least let me get my pants on," Damon said, coolly.

"This is exactly what they wanted to avoid, Stefan," Elena said. "They were going to tell you when they ready."

Stefan's face scrunched. "Wait, did you know about this?" The guilt read clear in Elena's eyes. "You knew about this and didn't tell me?"

"It wasn't my place."

"I made her promise she wouldn't," Bonnie spoke up.

"How long has this been going on?" Stefan asked. "You know what, I don't even care. You all can do whatever the fuck you want. I'm going to bed." Without another word he stormed past them and out of the room. A few moments later, they heard his bedroom door slam.

"Just give him some time," a tired looking Elena advised. "He's feeling blindsided right now. He'll come around." She left the room, leaving an awkward Bonnie and Damon alone.

"Well...that went well," Damon said, sarcastically, breaking a long moment of silence.

"I'm going to go home," Bonnie announced, going for her clothes.

"You don't have to."

"I should," she said quickly as she dressed. "Let him be for now, but in the morning you need to talk to your brother."

"He'll be all right, he's just being dramatic."

Bonnie leaned down and gave him a kiss on the lips. "Talk to him and don't be an ass about it. I'll call you tomorrow."

* * *

It was six in the morning when Damon's cell started going off. He ignored it the first time, silenced it the second time, then angrily snatched it up the third time it rang. He groaned at the sight of Rebekah's name and reluctantly picked it up. "What the hell, Rebekah, it's six in the morning. I'm trying to sleep!" He snapped.

"You have a package outside of your door," she said, completely unaffected by his rude greeting. "I need you to go and get it."

"What package? What are you talking about?"

"Go and get it."

"I'll get it later."

"It has to be now, Damon."

Damon groaned even louder and flipped back the covers he was lying under. "I'm not in the mood for your games, Bekah," he grunted as he got out of bed. "This better be good."

"Quit your whining and just get downstairs already."

Damon quickly made his way downstairs as requested, ready to grab whatever she'd had sent over, tell her he'd received it, and get his ass right back in the bed. It'd be an understatement to say he'd had a long night. "Still bossing me around," he complained as he opened the door. "Even from a thousand miles..." His sentence faltered as he was greeted by a smiling Rebekah standing on his front porch, flanked by two large pieces of luggage. "...away."

"Isn't this the best surprise you've ever received?" She said with a huge smile. She threw herself on him, wrapping her arms around him, as Damon stood frozen in shock.

* * *

_Your call has been forwarded to an automated voice - _

Bonnie hung up the phone with a sigh. It was a slow day at the shop and she'd tried numerous times to reach out to both Damon and Stefan for the past couple hours, with no response. When she texted Elena, she told her she was at work and unable to talk but would call her as soon as she was out. Bonnie hoped to God the brothers had managed to have an adult conversation by this time, and weren't over there fighting. Bonnie made the decision to stop by after work, just to make sure.

Halfway through her shift, the same delivery man that had stopped through a week ago returned with an even bigger bouquet of flowers. Bonnie rolled her eyes as Layla gushed even more. The man had meant it when he said he wasn't giving up on her. She stepped away from Layla for some privacy and called Tyler.

"Did you like the flowers?" He asked by way of greeting when he picked up.

"Tyler, you have to stop sending me stuff," Bonnie told him. "It was the first huge bouquet, then it was the Guiseppe heels you had sent to my Grams' house, then it was that expensive ass dress, now this again? It's getting ridiculous."

"You refuse to let me take you out so this is my way of showing you I'm thinking about you," he revealed. Expensive gifts were nothing for Tyler. He came from money, even before his now-deceased father became the mayor of Mystic Falls years ago, the Lockwoods had status and wealth. Tyler's spending on Bonnie always got out of control when he was in the doghouse. "You actually called this time, so I've got to be making some progress. The gifts will stop if you agree to let me take you to dinner. Or you can come home one night and I'll cook for you."

"That's not my home anymore, Tyler."

"It's your home, Bonnie," Tyler disagreed, firmly. "Everything here reminds me of you, constantly. The spot on the couch you always sat at when we watched Netflix, the painting hanging in the living-room that your mom gave us as a housewarming gift, your toothbrush that's still in the bathroom, the dress you wore to our fifth anniversary dinner that still hangs in the closet. I can't even lay on your side of the bed, Bonnie. That spot is meant for you." His words opened up a well of emotions within Bonnie. She couldn't tell him that she was seeing someone else, especially so soon after their break-up. It would crush him, and when Tyler was upset he always reacted in one of two ways. Completely shutting himself off from everyone, or violent outbursts. After dealing with Stefan the night before, she wasn't ready to deal with either outcome.

"I'd be lying if I said I don't think about you too," she admitted. "It just means we both need to work on moving on. I'll move the rest of my stuff out of the house and I'll work on having my name removed from the lease. You can keep the apartment if you want to, but I'm getting my own."

"That's not what I want to hear right now, Bonnie."

"I'm sorry."

She heard him suck in a deep breath. "I can't stop you from doing this, but I want you to really think about it before you do. Think about us, think about how much I love you."

"I have been, Tyler."

"I'm not going to stop loving you."

"Bye, Tyler."

"Goodbye, Bonnie."

* * *

Rebekah lay peacefully on the Salvatore couch, jet lag and exhaustion from the long drive from the airpot having taken over, causing her to crash before she had a chance to do anything else. Damon stood, staring at her like she was an abstract painting he couldn't figure out the meaning behind.

"Are you going to snuggle with your girlfriend or are you just going to keep staring like a creep?" Stefan taunted, having walked in on his brother watching the slumbering Brit as he wandered over to the front door. Stefan hadn't been surprised by Rebekah dropping in on them uninvited, he'd only been surprised it hadn't happened sooner.

"She's not my girlfriend," Damon stated definitively before following Stefan out onto the porch. He made sure to shut the door, so their voices could not be heard from the inside in case Rebekah woke up. Stefan ignored him as he leaned against one of the pillars and sipped from a glass filled with Damon's most expensive bourbon. "You want to talk about how you've been drinking since eight this morning and acting like a total dick?!"

"Sounds like you're rubbing off on me, brother."

"Look, I get you're upset about last night," Damon said, exasperated. "I'm sorry I slept with your best friend and I'm sorry you had to find out that way. Okay?"

"No, see, my best friend was a young lady with morals and self-respect," Stefan retaliated. "My best friend merely tolerated you out of respect for me and would've never laid down with you. That girl that was in your bed last night was someone I didn't even recognize."

Damon rolled his eyes to the sky. "Would you stop with the dramatics? She's a grown woman who consented to amazing sex with an insanely hot sex god. Can you blame her?"

Stefan glared at him. "Excuse me while I find a bucket to puke in." He tried to walk past Damon, back into the house, but Damon pressed his hand into his chest and pushed him back.

"We're going to talk about this, Stefan."

"I'm not the one you should be talking to about this," Stefan argued. "Rebekah is who you should be worried about. She's going to be pissed and you know she gets stabby when she's angry."

"Rebekah is never going to find out about this," Damon said, his eyes widening with emphasis. "She'd go after Bonnie like a rabid dog? Is that what you want?"

"What I want is to never have known about this."

"It's not just meaningless sex anymore, Stefan," Damon admitted. "We have an actual connection."

"Please, since when?" Stefan scoffed.

"Why is this so hard for you?" Damon asked, his face scrunched with annoyance. "We like each other. Get over it."

"Because why do they always like you?!" He exclaimed.

"Who?"

"All of them," Stefan emphasized. "You're an asshole, you treat girls like shit, yet they're always throwing themselves at you. The good girls, the bad girls, the smart ones and the dumb ones. The first girl I ever loved ended up throwing herself at you - "

"Are you seriously bringing that up?!" Damon cried. "That was years ago. I make out with one of your girlfriends once when we were young and I'm the devil for life? This is different."

"Bonnie was the one girl." Stefan said. "She was the one girl who never fell for your bullshit, that always called you on it. She was the one I had the most respect for, because she had the most respect for herself."

"She still does," Damon said. "I'm not using her. At least not anymore, but we both knew what we wanted this to be. Just call her, let her explain it to you. Are you afraid I'm going to steal her away from you or something?"

"Wouldn't be the first time you stole something from me." Stefan pushed past him and headed to the door.

"Want to know the difference between me and you Stefan," Damon called, giving his brother pause. "The good girls, the smart ones who come for me only do it after they've gone for you. You're always their first choice. Starting with Mother and ending with Bonnie."

"What are you talking about, Damon?"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about," Damon snapped. "You were Mom's little boy, her golden child. I was the royal screw-up who never did what our parents wanted me to. You were clearly the favorite child and you can't make me believe you didn't see it. When were a kid you played every damn sport ever invented. You had all the trophies, and Mom was always so proud of you. I hated sports, but I joined the baseball time because I wanted her to proud of me the way she was proud of you for once. Of course, my very first game falls on the same day as one of your many football games. I begged Mom to come to my game, just this one. I figured she'd already been to every one of your games that season, she can miss one for her other son. Who's game did she go to Stefan?"

"Damon, that's-"

"Who's game did she go to?!" Damon pressed. "Yours. She chose you! Mom didn't even bat an eye when I quit the team. She expected that from me. Your first girlfriend fell for you way before she fell for me, even though I was the one she met first. I made out with her just to ruin what you guys had, not because I wanted her for myself, and I instantly regretted it. When I met Elena, I thought she was gorgeous, thought I might pursue her when she got a little older, but lo and behold she fell for you. I dated Caroline, her best friend, instead who I knew had a huge crush on me but of course she tells me she had liked you first but you had rejected her. So I slept with her and never called her again out of spite, but did show up to her party with Rebekah because that's the type of shit I used to do. You're always the first choice, Stefan." Stefan turned to regard Damon as his words settled in. He'd never known his brother felt this way. "Bonnie came to me last night after going on a date I practically begged her not to go on. She's been talking to this guy for a month, as opposed to the years she's known me, but still, she chose him first. To be honest, I would've told you about me and her right away if I wasn't afraid that you'd ask her not to see me again. Afraid, because I'd bet anything if you asked her not to she wouldn't have, because she cares about your feelings more. Are you really going to be angry at the woman who cares about you more than the man she's sleeping with?" Damon turned on his heel and started down the steps.

"Damon, wait..."

"I'm going for a ride," Damon threw back. "When Miss Crazy wakes up tell her I'll be back. And hide all the knives."

Stefan watched him go for a moment before going back into the house. Rebekah was just sitting up and stretching as he entered the living-room. She smiled at him. "Well, hello, brother-in-law," she said. "Do you even know how comfortable this couch is? Damon and I need one of these at our house. Where is Damon?"

"He just headed out," Stefan answered. "He'll be back soon."

"Well, I'm going to shower and get this flight off of me," she said as she removed herself from the couch. "Are you okay? You look upset."

"I'm fine," Stefan said, though his eyes opposed his words. He disappeared into the kitchen before she could question him further and she trekked up the stairs. As he took a break from the bourbon and made himself some actual food to eat he heard someone at the door. He immediately knew who's tiny fist had delivered such a soft knock, and he didn't make a move to answer it. There was another knock, and soon the door was being opened. Stefan didn't look up from the sandwich he was making as size two feet shuffled into the kitchen.

"Were you just going to keep ignoring me?" Bonnie's voice held a hint of disbelief.

"What does it matter?" He sniped. "Don't you always just walk in like you live here?"

"So, that's it," Bonnie huffed, approaching him. "You're going to be an ass to me now because you're mad?"

"Do you love him?"

"What?"

"Are you in love with Damon?" Stefan elaborated, regarding her reaction intensely.

"I...it's not..."

"That's what I thought," he said. "Are you guys in a relationship?"

"No," Bonnie huffed as she knew where he was going with this.

"Didn't think so," he snidely remarked. "You're not in love, you're not dating, so don't try to sell me on some _'he means something to me'_ crap. He used you, and you're using him. I don't like him doing it to you, and I don't like you doing that to him to be honest. But whatever, not my business."

Bonnie shook her head. "It's not that simple, Stefan," she said, bringing her hands to her temples in frustration.

"I'm not mad at you, Bonnie," he stated. "I'm disappointed."

Bonnie sighed and moved closer to him. "I understand why you feel like that right now, but it's not what you think," she said, softly. "This thing with Damon and I just kind of happened out of nowhere, and yes, it was supposed to be just hooking up at first. We were both getting out of relationships and kind of wanted to use one another to get over our exes. Sex has always been a very intimate thing to me, I thought it would be different with Damon, turned out it wasn't. Feelings just kind of snuck up on me. I didn't realize they were there until I was forced to confront them. Who knows, in the future we could make each other happy, and all of us will look back on last night as just an unfortunate, distant memory."

"You really think so?" Stefan asked, his tone dripping with pessimism.

Before Bonnie could respond, a fresh-faced, damp-haired Rebekah breezed into the kitchen. "That shower was a good one," she was saying as she entered the room. "If there's one thing I miss about this house it's Damon's shower. Oh, hey, Bonnie! Long time no see. How have you been?"

Bonnie's jaw was practically touching the floor but Rebekah didn't seem to notice as she buried her head inside the refrigerator. "Did Damon not tell you that Rebekah was back?" Stefan asked, feigning surprise. As he reached past Bonnie to grab his plate off the counter, he dropped his voice as he spoke to her. "Being blindsided sucks, doesn't it?"

* * *

_**My young soul is sold to his heart**_

_**He don't, maybe he don't love me, love me**_

_**I'll sin with you, it's a ceremony of you only**_

_**But now I'm singing memorials**_

_**\- Laurel**_

Damon was nearly home, his backseat full of expensive liquor he'd just went out and wracked up on. He had no plans to deal with the Rebekah/Bonnie situation sober. His phone buzzed as he turned onto his street. He pulled it out of his jacket pocket and huffed at the sight of Bonnie's name. He'd been avoiding contact with her all day as he wasn't sure how'd she handle the news that his ex was back in town with plans to drag him kicking and screaming back to Louisiana with her. He didn't want to hurt her, not after the breakthrough they just had, and he didn't want to anger her either and risk her telling Rebekah everything out of spite. Chicks he'd dealt with in the past had a tendency to do that, and Rebekah had a tendency to not take it well, even if they weren't technically together at the time.

He took a deep breath before taking the call. "Hey, Bon Bon!"

"Don't '_hey Bon Bon'_ me!" She snapped. "I come to your house to see you and your brother, after being worried all day you two have been fighting, and instead I find Rebekah, making herself right at home."

"You're at the house right now?"

"Yes, Damon." Bonnie sounded like she wanted to yell but was holding back. "I just had a lovely conversation with your girlfriend and she told me all about your skype calls and how you still say 'I love you' to each other - "

"That's not exactly true!"

"...and that you'll be going back to New Orleans with her and starting over," Bonnie finished. "She also kept shoving that ring you gave her in my face. Funny how none of this came up last night. And you have the audacity to not only not tell me she was here, staying in your house, but to completely ignore my calls all day!"

"Okay, I gave her that ring months ago. It was just a gift, it didn't mean anything when I gave it to her. I don't even know why she's still wearing it, and I was going to call you soon and tell you she was here. Are you still at the house?" Damon asked. "I'm pulling up right now. We can talk about this?"

"I'm leaving," Bonnie declared. He could see her diminutive figure on the porch as he pulled up the long, winding, driveway. "This is the last conversation I want to have with you, Damon. Things were better off the way they were before. Your head stuck up Rebekah's ass and me hating your guts. At least if I hate you, I don't have to worry about you hurting me, because I won't care about you enough to be hurt."

Damon hopped out of his car just as she hung up the phone. "Bonnie, no!" He pleaded as he jetted up the stairs. She gave him nothing but an angry look and stormed down the porch steps, right past him. "You have to hear me out. I didn't know she was coming, she just popped up. I don't want Rebekah back. Listen to me, Bonnie!"

Bonnie whirled around and glared at him. "You're saying this to me but are you going to say this to her?" She inquired. "I'm not here for the drama, Salvatore. Whether you get back with her or not, I don't care anymore, just keep me out of your bullshit! I don't need it." The front door was opened and Rebekah stepped out and smiled at the sight of Damon.

"You're back!" Once again, she threw her arms around him but instead of the hug he expected she gave him a full kiss on the lips. She wore a smile as she pulled away and gave Bonnie a wave. "See you later, Bon! Nice catching up with you!"

"Goodbye, Rebekah, bye Damon!" Bonnie called back from beside her car, a fake smile plastered on her face. "I hope everything works out for you two. Have a safe trip back to New Orleans." She gave a wave before getting in her car and taking off.

"I used to not like her very much but she's actually okay," Rebekah revealed. She turned her eyes back to Damon. "You've made a habit of running off while I'm asleep. We need to work on communication when we're back home."

Damon removed her arms from around his neck and pushed her away. "Get in the house," he demanded. Rebekah's face etched in confusion at his sudden change of demeanor but she obliged. Damon walked inside after her, slamming the door behind him so hard that the walls shook.

"What's got you in such a bad mood?" She questioned.

"Why are you here?!" He shouted. "Why are you _here_?"

"You know why I'm here, Damon," she said, her brow furrowed as he approached, his blue eyes wild. "I came back for you, for us."

"There is no us!" He exclaimed. "How many times and how many ways do I have to explain to you that we're over!"

Rebekah shook her head. "We're not over, Damon. We've had fights like this before and we've always gotten past it. This time is no different."

"We've been on and off for eight years. It's been eight years of non-stop drama! I don't have another eight years in me, Rebekah," Damon said.

"You're only thinking about the bad times," Rebekah said. "Why don't you ever remember all the good times we had, the reasons why we fell in love in the first place?"

"The good has been lost in the sea of bad," he said with a shake of his head. "You're not the girl I fell in love with anymore."

"You'll feel differently. We'll work on things and the good will come back - "

"No, it won't!" Damon shouted. Rebekah cried out in surprise as Damon suddenly pressed her up against the wall. "I don't love you anymore. I'm not happy when I'm with you. If you want me with you regardless of how miserable I am, that just shows how much we shouldn't be together."

"Have you been drinking?" A worried Rebekah inquired.

"No, I'm completely sober." Damon stepped back from her. "I don't need to be drunk to tell you how I really feel anymore. You need to go back to New Orleans, and you need to move on from me."

"You don't think I've tried!" Rebekah cried, tears clouding her cerulean eyes. "Every time we break up, I try my hardest to move on from you! I can't! No matter what I do, no matter how much I try to keep you out of my head, you're all I think about! I can't stand the thought of sleeping alone for another night! I love you, Damon, and I know you still love me!" Damon threw his hands up and stalked away from her, but she followed him. There was no one more stubborn than Rebekah Mikaelson, and he may not have needed alcohol to tell her his true feelings, but he needed it to get through the rest of this conversation without completely snapping. Having yet to get his newly acquired bourbon out of the car, he grabbed a half empty bottle out of one of the top cupboards in the kitchen. He popped it open and drank from the neck as Rebekah continued on. "And this is what you always do! You want to drink and tune me out, you never want to get to the bottom of our problems and fix them!"

"I already told you how I feel. Why waste another breath getting into all our problems when you're not going to understand anyway."

"I'm telling you right now that I will!" Rebekah's face turned a fiery red as she shrieked at the top of her lungs, "So take the damn bottle out of your mouth and **listen to me**!"

Damon did take the bottle out of his mouth, and it was flying from his hand before he could even think about his actions. Rebekah flinched away as it smashed into the wall right by where she stood. Her blue eyes widened in distress as he grabbed another glass from the cupboard. "Is this what you want? A miserable..." He smashed it on the ground and grabbed another. "...angry..." _smash _"...man that you've trapped in your own hellish existence? Is this what you want?" Rebekah said nothing and he raised the glass above his head. "IS IT?!"

"HEY!" Stefan was storming in and quickly flew at Damon, slamming him into the refrigerator so hard the foundation shook. He jacked him up by his shirt. "What the hell is wrong with you? Are you crazy?!"

"Maybe," Damon sneered. "I am done with these women, Stefan. All of them. Get her out of my sight." Stefan had never seen such a look in Damon's eyes as the one he had now. He was finally seeing firsthand what Damon meant when he said Rebekah brought out the worst in him, and maybe even the crazy. Stefan released him.

"Calm yourself _down. _Don't break anything else in this house." Stefan walked over to a sobbing Rebekah and put his arm around her shoulders. "Come on, Bekah," he said as he led her away. "We're going to go for a ride and talk." Damon soon heard the sound of the door shutting as they left the house, and he felt himself hit the ground. He rested his back against the fridge and his eyes swept the mess he'd left. Sharp pieces of glass littered the wooden floor. The bottom half of one of the tumblers he'd broken lay by him, it's jagged edges sticking in the air. He smashed his fist on it, breaking it apart completely. He didn't feel the pain of the glass piercing deep into his skin, even after seeing the blood. He did it again with another glass.

There was a lot of pent up rage within Damon that he was itching to release. Rage that had been building for years. He'd buried the rage he felt after his mother blew off his first game, he'd buried the rage he felt when she'd died on him without ever assuring him that she did in fact love him as much as she loved Stefan, he'd buried the rage he felt when Rebekah tried to fuck his brother, he buried the rage he felt when the same woman so desperately tried to bury a blade into his chest over something he didn't even do. All of this and so much more had been buried, resulting in very dickish behavior, and a less than desirable personality.

Damon had many problems, and he never confronted them in the right way. Bonnie was right to leave him, Damon realized as he gazed upon his bloodied hands. She didn't deserve to be caught up his in shit. She had enough problems on her own, how could he ask her to take on his as well? He'd thought his days of being a fuck-up were behind him, but he'd proven himself wrong once again. Whether he deserved it or just needed it, Damon knew the best thing, right then, was for him to be alone.

* * *

**A/N: Please don't hate me! Writing this chapter stirred a little emotion in me, being someone who once felt trapped in a very toxic relationship. Some of things I've written about in this fic are loosely based on personal experiences (not necessarily the Bamon aspect) and things I've seen people close to me go through, so I know how hard it can be to break yourself out of a situation you're already so deep in. I just need you to bear with me through this part of the story as Bonnie and Damon travel down a tough road back to each other. Don't worry, you won't be deprived of Bamon scenes.**

**I won't be long with another update but I have to work on the next chapter of Pieces because I need to focus on something a little more light-hearted after this and Outsider, which also needs updating. Don't forget to review and please say we're still friends? Love you all! **


	9. Texts & Lies

**A/N: I'm back! I feel like I've been on a roll with these updates to all my stories, lol. The reason this one took so long is because it's the longest chapter I've written of any of these fics, I had more written but had to cut it off because it was getting out of control, and I kept editing it and rewriting certain scenes. It was kind of tough but I finally got it ready for your reading pleasure. :) The response for the last chapter was amazing, very different reactions from everyone on the events that took place which I love, and more than I could've hoped for. I'm so happy you guys are invested in this story and my take of these characters at all and I hope I can keep your interest throughout the rest of this fic. **

**Song Credit: The Worst by Jhene Aiko**

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. They belong to The CW. No copyright infringement intended.

* * *

**9 - Texts &amp; Lies**

_Don't take this personal, but you're the worst_

_You know what you've done to me_

_And although it hurts I know_

_I just can't keep running away_

_\- Jhene Aiko_

Bonnie had her mind set on getting the Mystic Platter when she walked into the Grill, then heading straight home and devouring it. The wing, jalapeño popper, mozzarella stick, chicken strip combo was one of Bonnie's favorites on the menu and she'd been craving it all day. After spotting Matt behind the bar giving her a friendly wave, she started toward him to place her to-go order when she was stopped by a painfully familiar voice calling her name. She turned and sure enough, there was Rebekah Mikaelson waving her over to her table. Bonnie huffed to herself and approached her.

"Hey," Rebekah said with a smile when Bonnie reached her. "Meeting someone?"

"No, I was just picking up some food to go," Bonnie said, pointedly.

"Why don't you sit with me for a minute?" Bekah suggested. She read the uncertainty in Bonnie's eyes. "What's the matter? You think I'm going to bite or something? Sit." She pulled out the chair and patted the seat of it. Bonnie sighed and settled into it.

"I'm glad you're here," Rebekah said and sipped from her Coke. "Staying with the boys is all right, but it's nice to have a girl to talk to." Bonnie internally groaned. The last thing she wanted was more girl talk with Rebekah or to spend any more time with her at all. The first time had been excruciating enough.

"I was actually only going to be here for a few minutes to pick up some food..."

"I can't believe how bad things have gotten with Damon and I." Rebekah put her drink down with a heavy sigh. "I'm fighting so hard for his love and it's like he doesn't even care. Sometimes, I feel like he hates me."

"I'm sure he doesn't hate you," Bonnie said. "I'm actually pretty sure he loves you, but just because two people love each other doesn't mean they should be together."

"I can't be without Damon. It's too hard."

"Well, I really hope you guys are able to work it out but I have to-"

"Maybe I should take a more subtle approach." Rebekah either wasn't picking up Bonnie's desire to leave or she was just ignoring it. Either way, Bonnie felt stuck. She was screaming inside as Rebekah went into yet another spiel about how much she loved Damon and her determination to fix their problems. She felt a sense of relief when the topic switched but it quickly fell onto Bonnie's love life.

"How is everything with you?" Rebekah asked her, curiously. She didn't even hear Bonnie's answer as her eyes traveled past her. "Wait, isn't that your boyfriend coming in?" Bonnie looked at her curiously before turning to see Tyler coming through the door, because one uncomfortable run-in that day wasn't enough.

Tyler's eyes fell on Bonnie and she quickly turned around. "No. He's not my boyfriend," she said.

"Well, your not-boyfriend is heading over here," Bekah said, slightly amused. She smiled up at Tyler as he appeared at the table, hovering above them. "Hello. Tyler. Long time no see."

"Hey Bekah, when did you get back in town?" He asked.

"Just a few days ago," she replied. "You look buffer than I remember."

Tyler chuckled. "Thanks, that was the goal." He turned his attention to Bonnie. "Hey, Bon. Can I get you a drink, talk to you for a minute?"

"I was just leaving." Bonnie got up from the table, ready to make a hasty exit. Tyler gently placed his hand on her arm in an effort to stop her.

"Hey, just one drink," he said, dropping his voice. "Please?" Bonnie's shoulders dropped as she released a heavy sigh.

"Just one."

Twenty minutes later Bonnie was slamming down her third shot. "Woo! They're going down smooth, Lockwood. Quit being a pansy and take another shot!"

"Damn, I know you're a heavyweight but when did you get so mean about it?" Tyler asked with a laugh.

Bonnie held up her shot glass and shouted to Matt, "Another shot for the man, please! And another one for me!" She gave Tyler a silly-faced smile. "I can't believe you have me drinking in the daytime. You used to hate when I drank."

"Only when you started getting too friendly with everyone," he explained. "You know how you get, Bonnie." Bonnie wasn't listening, her eyes were on Matt as he approached them.

"Wow, Matt, you're so cute," she told him. "Have you always been this cute? Your eyes are so blue!"

"Okay, time to cut her off," Tyler instructed. Matt chuckled as he took the glass from her.

"What about you, man?" He asked him.

"I'm good with this," he said in reference to the beer he'd been nursing for twenty minutes. Tyler could drink with the best of them, but he'd wanted to have a serious discussion with Bonnie. He hadn't expected her to go crazy after being offered one shot.

"Whatever, I'm going to the bathroom," Bonnie announced, getting up from the stool.

"Sure you'll be able to find it, lush?" Matt joked.

"Fuck off, Donavan," she threw back and he laughed as she started away. Both he and Tyler watched her go for a moment before Tyler turned back to Matt.

"Thanks for letting me know she was here," he said to him.

"No problem," Matt replied. "I miss you two being together, all of us hanging out. Things haven't been the same."

"I'm going to fix this," Tyler said, confidently. "I'm going to get my girl back."

Bonnie was making her way toward the ladies' room when a pair of handsome, Italian brothers stepped through the entrance. Bonnie stopped in her tracks, and her eyes fell on the younger of the two.

"Stefan..." Her voice was breathless, hopeful as she said his name. He gave her a small nod and walked past her without a word. Her heart dropped as she watched him head to the pool tables where Rebekah was chatting with some girls she knew from high school. He hadn't even spoken to her. How could he not speak to her? They'd had disagreements before, but never would they see each other and not speak. He might as well have completely ignored her presence, treated her like a stranger. When she turned she found Damon hadn't moved, he was still standing there staring at her.

"Bonnie..." She shook her head and walked away from him, resuming her path to the bathroom. He was hot on her heels. "Bonnie, wait..."

She whirled around and glared at him. "I have nothing else to say to you, Damon."

"But there's things I need to say to you," he said. "Please, if you can give me two minutes."

"I've already given you way more time than you deserve," she said.

"Look, Bonnie, I'm sorry!" He was ignored as she disappeared into the bathroom. He sighed heavily.

"Hey." Damon turned to see his brother staring at him. "If she wants her space then give it to her," Stefan demanded. "Come on, I got you a beer. Let's play some pool."

When Bonnie emerged from the bathroom, she walked past the Salvatores, Rebekah, and her friends and went back to the bar. She didn't bother to sit, just grabbed her purse from the stool. "I'm leaving," she told Tyler. "Thanks for the drink."

"Wait, you can't just leave," He argued. "Is there something wrong, Bonnie?"

"No, I only wanted to come in here for some food and go," she explained. "I never meant to be here this long."

"What did you want?" Tyler quickly asked. "I'll order it for you. Was it the platter? You were always getting that during lunch time."

"Yes, but you really don't have to-"

"Matt, can we get an order of the Mystic Platter. Actually, make it two," Tyler stated. "Sit, Bon. It's been too long since we've done this." Bonnie found herself settling back into the seat before she could really question her actions, but when she bit into the first jalapeño popper she had no regrets. The Grill still had the best poppers in town, hands down.

They talked as they munched, Tyler more than Bonnie. He filled her in on what had been going on with himself and his family, making sure to mention that he hadn't been seeing anyone since their break-up. "I think about you every night," he told her. "I wish I didn't, that I could go one night without seeing your face before I fell asleep, but I can't." A loud cheer from the back caused Tyler to look over his shoulder. Apparently, Rebekah was winning their pool game. Bonnie suspected Stefan was letting her.

"What the hell is his problem?" Tyler huffed.

"Who?" Bonnie questioned.

"Damon Salvatore," he answered with a furrowed brow. "He's been glaring at us since he got here. He looks like he wants to take my head off."

"Damon Salvatore is an ass," Bonnie stated.

"I know, that's why I still can't stand him or his douchebag of a brother," Tyler sniped. "Sorry, I know he's your friend..." He noticed Bonnie's change of expression. "He's still your friend, right?"

"Things are a little complicated with Stefan and I right now," she replied.

"Well, that explains why he's been acting like he doesn't see you over here," he said. "I was waiting for him to come over and try to steal you away."

"You have nothing to worry about."

"Unless Damon decides to start problems," he said, taking a sip of his drink. "I haven't even seen the dude in years but if he wants to fight again we can fight."

"Don't worry about them. You're here with me," Bonnie said softly, placing a hand on his arm.

Damon noticed the action from across the room, and the sickening way they were looking into each other's eyes. He was contemplating flying across the room and cracking Tyler over the head with his beer bottle, then Bekah stepped into his view and he realized how stupid that would be. He was here with his ex, drinking and playing games as if everything was cool. Of course he hadn't wanted to come, and if he'd known Bonnie would be there he definitely wouldn't have.

After the fight he and Rebekah had two days prior, Stefan had taken her to a hotel to give them both time to cool off. Then she'd texted Stefan that morning, begging him to meet her at the Grill later on and to bring Damon with him. She promised not to bring up the topic of their relationship or getting back together, that they would all just hang out like they used to, and have fun as friends. Stefan nearly had to twist Damon's arm to get him to agree, but he was sick of his brother being in a pissy mood and taking it out on him since he had no one else around to be an ass to. He was going to get him to have some fun if it killed him, and if Rebekah brought up their failing relationship once or started a fight of any kind, Stefan was prepared to follow up on his threat of bringing her to the airport and putting her on a plane to Novia Scotia to get her as far away from his brother as possible.

"Why are you so distracted?" Rebekah asked Damon, shoving a pool stick at him. "This is the worst I've ever seen you play."

Damon tore his eyes away from Bonnie and Tyler and looked at his ex. "I guess I'm really not in the mood for games," he said, pointedly.

"Shut up and play," Stefan snapped, sipping his beer. Damon glared at him before taking the stick and leaning over the table, focusing on the white ball as he aligned the stick. His concentration was broken by Rebekah's raised voice.

"Bonnie! Tyler!" She called out to the pair. Damon looked up and saw they were heading toward the exit together. They stopped in their trek and looked at them. "Play a quick game with us before you go?" Rebekah suggested.

Bonnie and Tyler exchanged a quick look. "No thanks," Tyler spoke up. "We've gotta go. Maybe next time." And they quickly made their exit. Tyler's use of the word _we_ was not lost on Damon. He wanted to go after them, grab Bonnie by the arm and tell her not to leave with Tyler, demand she stay away from him if he had to. How could she be angry at Damon for having Rebekah around then go off gallivanting with Tyler three seconds later? Damon wanted to revert to his old ways and start trouble, and kick Tyler's ass while he was at it. But he didn't make a move as they left.

"Well, looks like he won't be her not-boyfriend for much longer," Rebekah remarked, earning herself a nasty look from Damon.

* * *

_I don't need you, but I want you_

_I don't mean to but I love you_

_\- Jhene Aiko_

That night Damon was determined to get drunk. He cracked open his most expensive bottle of bourbon and went to town. Stefan was locked away in his room, talking on the phone with Elena, and Rebekah had went up to one of the guest rooms to go to bed after Damon made it painfully clear he didn't want any company.

Damon made the impulsive decision to call Bonnie, despite the fact that it was after midnight. His irritation grew as he made call after call and they all went unanswered. "Answer the goddamn phone!" He demanded to her voicemail. "Answer your phone, Bonnie!" Pause. "Why did you leave with him? Why did you leave the Grill with Tyler? Are you fucking him? Did you fuck him?!" He screamed the last sentence, slamming the bottle in his hand down so hard it almost cracked. "Fuck it, I don't care...I don't care about anything. You better not fuck him, Bonnie." Damon hung up the phone, chugged from the bottle, and headed to the stairs, stumbling on the way. He steps were loud and heavy as he ascended the spiraling staircase to his bedroom. He fell onto his bed and was out like a light within thirty seconds. He wouldn't remember making that call in the morning.

* * *

The room was completely dark, save for Bonnie's cell phone lighting up with a voice message alert. She didn't make a move to check it as she already knew who it was from. The incessant buzzing of her phone wasn't the only thing keeping her from falling asleep.

There was a groaning and shifting in the bed beside her. "Who keeps calling you?" Tyler asked her in a groggy voice.

"I don't know," Bonnie lied. "It's a private number."

"Well, if they call again let me know," he said. "I'll pick up and tell them to fuck off." Bonnie was lying on her side, stiff as a board as Tyler wrapped his arm around her, bringing her body in closer to his so he could snuggle up to her. The sound of his even breathing in her ear a minute later indicated he'd fallen back to sleep, but she was still wide awake.

Bonnie wasn't entirely sure how she'd ended up there. After leaving the Grill, Tyler had talked her into coming back to the house with him and watching some movies. They ended up binge watching True Blood, they shared a meal Tyler had prepared, and before she knew it, it was 11:00 at night. Tyler insisted that she sleep there, that it was still her home and she was not a guest. Bonnie admitted to herself that she did miss sleeping in her own bed, didn't really feel like driving back to her Grams' house, but more than anything, she didn't want to spend another night sleeping alone.

Tyler could hardly contain his glee when she agreed, even after she told him in no uncertain terms that there would be no sex being had that night. After receiving a single kiss, Tyler fell asleep beside her with more hope than he'd had in the past few months. Bonnie, however, didn't feel right as he slumbered with his arm around her. He wasn't who she wanted to be sleeping next to, and a certain Salvatore's repeated calls wasn't helping matters. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't get those ocean blue eyes out of her head.

* * *

Damon lay in bed, bare-chested and staring up at the ceiling, a slight throbbing in his head. He was a little bothered by how bright the morning light pouring into his bedroom from the window was, and trying to recall when he'd even come up to his room the night before. His mind soon wandered to more deprecating thoughts. He didn't move when the door to his bedroom was opened slowly and soundlessly, then Rebekah was creeping in. Damon barely gave her a look, regardless of the fact that she was in nothing but a purple lace bra and matching panties.

"I was hoping you were awake," she said, lifting the blanket he was lying under and sliding into the bed beside him. "I could hardly sleep last night knowing you were in the next room." Damon said nothing and she snuggled up next to him. "Last night with your brother was fun, just like old times. Wasn't it? Remember how much fun we used to have?" He didn't respond but she continued on anyway. "Like when we were teenagers and stole your Uncle Zach's Porsche and went joyriding. That might've been the most trouble we ever got in but it was totally worth it." She chuckled but Damon remained silent, his eyes still looking toward the ceiling. "I remember our first date. We went to the movies with a group of people then we split off and went to the Falls alone. You were so surprised when you tried to make a move and I didn't go for it. I actually made Damon Salvatore work for it, something you never had to do. And our first trip to Vegas. We partied so hard, I won $4000 dollars at the Bellagio, and we had sex on top of the cash. That was a fun night. Remember?"

"I remember the second time we went," Damon finally spoke up. "You immediately got drunk, flipped out on the black jack dealer for supposedly flirting with me, flipped out on me when I asked you not to make a scene, and refused to do anything with me the rest of the night. We left early and argued the whole way home. I remember the time you keyed my Camaro when you saw it parked outside of Caroline's house, instead of just calling me so I could tell you Stefan was using it because his car wasn't working. We had a huge fight when I told you you had to pay for the paint job, you tried to hit me and you smashed my brand new TV."

"Damon, look at me." Rebekah moved on top of him, cupping his face in her hands so his blue eyes had to focus on her. "That was all in the past. I can change. I will change...for you. You just have to give me another chance." She brought her lips to his in a soft kiss. He didn't resist, and she pulled away and opened her eyes to look into his. "I love you, Damon." She brought her lips back to his in a more fervent kiss. Her intent was clear as she kissed him more passionately, rubbing her lower body against his. He brought his hand up and gripped her neck as she tasted him, and took her by surprise as he suddenly flipped her onto her back and climbed atop her.

"Is this what you came in here for?" He questioned.

"You can't tell me you don't miss this, Damon," she replied, breathlessly. "I miss you. All of you." She lifted her head to kiss him again but he dodged it, moving back as he slid off her panties. He didn't bother to take his boxers all the way off, just pulled them down and positioned himself in between her legs. She wrapped her legs around his waist, bringing him even closer to her, and gazed lovingly at him.

"I've missed you so much, baby," she moaned and gasped as he suddenly thrust himself inside of her. Her breath caught in her throat as he moved roughly, gripping the edge of the bed above her head, but not making eye contact. She cried aloud as he took her in a way she hadn't quite expected, pounding into her relentlessly. When she tried to bring her hands to his face so he'd look at her, he slapped them away and looked everywhere but in her eyes. When she tried to kiss him he pushed her down and thrusted even harder. The headboard was clanging against the wall so loudly, Rebekah thought it might break, but enough time wasn't given. It was suddenly over, he groaned, pulled out, and rolled away from her without a word. She tried to reach out to him but he removed himself from the bed and headed to the bathroom, pulling up his boxers and not even giving her a backward glance.

She lay back on the pillow, confused about what had just transpired. They'd had rough sex before, but never so dispassionately. He wouldn't look at her, refused to kiss her, he'd taken her like she was a stranger, someone he wanted to use purely to get off then get away from as quickly as possible. The throbbing in between her legs seemed to be the cause of them taking six steps back as opposed to the three steps forward she'd expected their coming together sexually to bring about.

She could hear the shower running. Why was he so quick to wash away the traces of their intimacy? She was losing him, Rebekah finally realized. She may actually be losing him for good this time. She curled up into the fetal position and cried freely into his pillows. Her cry was interrupted by the sound of his iPhone vibrating on his nightstand. It buzzed twice then fell silent. Rebekah sat up and listened for a moment. After being sure Damon was still in the shower she picked up the phone. _Locked. Of course._ Rebekah breathed a sigh of frustration. He had a text message but she needed the passcode to read it. She was sure it had been changed since the last time she'd hacked into it but typed in those four digits anyway. No go. This could take ages for a lot of people, but Rebekah was the hacker queen, having broke into Damon's phone, e-mail, and all of his social media accounts while they were living together.

When she heard the shower water shut off, she quickly placed the phone back on the nightstand in the exact spot it had been before, next to the bourbon bottle, and lay back down. Damon strutted out of the bathroom a few minutes later, an unnecessary towel wrapped around his waist. He went to his dresser to retrieve some clothes and didn't give Rebekah a second glance.

"Are you going to lay in my bed all day or are you going to get up and do something?" He asked as he pulled one of his shirts from the dresser.

"Do something like what?" Rebekah asked, sitting up. "I came here with one purpose. I still plan to see it through." Damon finally looked at her, her red-rimmed eyes an indication that she'd been crying.

"Not all plans are good ones, Rebekah," he told her. "Sometimes they're just downright stupid. You need to learn when to quit."

"I've never been a quitter."

"Well, I've got a new plan for you," he said as he dressed. "You go back to New Orleans with your family, concentrate on fixing the many issues you have with them, then you focus on yourself, and your career, and becoming a better person. Maybe then, we can be friends. Nothing more than that. Until then..." Another tear slid down her cheek and Damon sighed. "I just want what's best for you, Bekah." He settled on the edge of the bed and wiped away her tear with the pad of his thumb. "I'm sorry I've been so cold to you. I don't hate you, okay? I just hate who we both are when we're with each other. I'm not going to fight with you anymore. You have to start getting used to living a life without me in it, and so am I. I know you really want to be here for Stefan's party, but after that I'm booking you a flight home." That statement was definitive, no negotiations welcome. He got up from the bed and pulled on his gray Henley.

"Are you going to eat?" He asked her as he headed to the door.

"I'm not hungry," she replied, simply.

"Fine, I'm going to get some breakfast," he told her. "You can turn the TV on if you want to." He disappeared from the room.

His words all but solidified what had previously been just a passing suspicion of hers. He was seeing somebody else, and it was serious. Damon had never been so adamant about them remaining broken up, and he definitely had never been okay with them living miles apart, even when they were on the outs. Rebekah knew for a fact he'd slept with other girls during their breaks from each other before, but they'd all been dropped like flies in favor of her. This time it was different. Whoever it was this time, had enough of a hold on him to make him want to end things with her permanently. This was not okay. They'd only been apart for a couple of months, how dare he move on so quickly.

Rebekah snatched up his phone with a new determination. She was going to find out who it was. She wanted to talk to this girl. Find out who was stealing away the love of her life. She tried everything, his birthday, her birthday, Stefan's birthday, their anniversary. After having to wait a couple minutes because of the failed attempts, she tried the day his mom passed, then the day he'd returned to Mystic Falls. That didn't work, but three days from then did. Rebekah was surprised but satisfied when the phone unlocked, giving her complete access to Damon's privacy. What the significance of those numbers to Damon were, she didn't know, but she planned to find out some other things.

The first thing she did was go to the text he'd just received. The name read _Bon Bon._ She thought for a moment about who that could be and the only person she could come up with was Bonnie Bennett. Those two had loathed each other for as long as Rebekah had known them so that wasn't a possibility, which could only mean it was someone new.

The message read, _I've decided to give you a chance to speak your piece. despite that belligerent_ _message you left me last night. R u available today around 2?_

Rebekah was going to seize this opportunity. _Yes_, she typed back.

_Meet me at the cafe you brought me to before on Main St. Don't be late._

Rebekah seethed. He'd actually taken this girl out? She responded simply, _I'll be there,_ then quickly deleted the text messages. She scrolled down to the other texts exchanged between the two. There hadn't been a ton of messages sent for the past couple weeks but prior to that there were many, and most of them were overtly sexual, especially on Damon's end. He sent her messages detailing all of the things he wanted to do to her, and they both expressed excitement and anticipation at seeing each other again. It was obvious they were fucking every chance they got, and it was clear no one else knew about it. Rebekah's heart nearly jumped out of her chest when she came across the photos. There was Damon Salvatore, in all his nude glory, gripping his junk, telling_ Bon Bon _it was all for her. Her heart continued to pound as she kept scrolling, her heart was breaking more with each message she read but she couldn't find the willpower to look away. He'd sent her three photos, and after a lot of resistance she'd sent one back. Her head wasn't shown, but the female with cocoa skin, the flat stomach, and enviable curves was baring herself to Damon, teasing caption included. Rebekah felt the sadness subsiding and the rage taking over.

There was only a handful of Mystic Falls residents that weren't white, and one of them was Bonnie fucking Bennett. Bonnie Bennett, whom she had just poured her heart out to and talked about all her problems with Damon and her everlasting love for the man in spite of it all. Bonnie fucking Bennett who had offered her comforting words and wished that they could work it out, smiling at her as if they were friends. She was a slutty, calculative, bitch, just like the rest of those hoes Damon had stuck his dick in because he was mad at Rebekah, Bonnie was just well-disguised. Rebekah had taught herself to trust no one, especially females, and she was kicking herself for opening up to Bonnie. The bitch had probably been laughing to herself the whole time, knowing she was fucking Damon while Rebekah pined for him like some in-denial side chick. This behavior could not go unpunished. Rebekah was going to make her regret this.

* * *

Damon was seated at the island in the kitchen on his Macbook when Stefan entered. His brother breezed past him to the refrigerator. "What you doing, bro?" Stefan asked. "Looking for wedding venues for you and Mikaelson."

"You're not as funny as you think," Damon quipped. "I'm trying to get the Blonde Bombshell out of here as soon as possible. No weddings in my future."

"Is that why you fucked her to pieces this morning?" Stefan questioned him. Damon glared at him. "What? It`s not like you were discreet. I almost interrupted. I thought you might have been killing her as loud as you two were." Stefan sighed and approached him. "Look, I'm not going to get into your business anymore. I never wanted in it in the first place and I unwillingly got pulled in. I'm just going to say this. The worst thing you can do right now is lead her on. She's emotionally unstable, and if you don't do everything in your power to push her away, she'll always think there's a chance and she won't go away. But be careful not to push her over the edge."

"What are you, my therapist?" Damon remarked, sarcastically.

"I just want you to get your shit together," he replied. "I'm tired of this stressed out, mopey Damon or mad at the world Damon. I need my brother back." He clapped him hard on the shoulder and squeezed it. "Love you, bro. I just want you to be happy."

"Thanks, now are we done with the sentimental crap?" Damon quipped and Stefan gave him a shove that almost drove him off the stool.

"I've got things to do, I'll see you later." Stefan started to head out of the kitchen but paused at Damon saying his name.

"I know I don't have the right to ask you this but can you keep what you heard this morning between us?" Damon asked him. Stefan knew what that meant. Don't tell Elena, and most definitely don't tell Bonnie.

"I'll leave that up to you, brother," Stefan said. "I'm out of it." Rebekah breezed into the kitchen then, fully dressed and made up.

"Good afternoon, Salvatores," she greeted. "I need to borrow one of your cars."

"For what?" Damon asked with a tone that suggested there wasn't a chance in hell.

"I want to go shopping," she said. "I shouldn't have to be stuck in the house all day and shopping is therapeutic for me."

"You really are crazy if you think I'm letting you within a ten foot radius of my car," Damon quipped. "You've done enough damage."

"If I wanted to damage your car it would be damaged," Rebekah pointed out. "I just need a way to get around today. I won't be too long." She looked between the brothers. Damon looked at Stefan who raised his brow.

"Can't be mine, I was just leaving," Stefan said and Damon narrowed his eyes at him.

"Good, then you can drop Bekah off."

"There's couple places I want to go," Rebekah spoke up. "It would be a lot easier if I was driving."

"Looks like this is something you two need to work out. I'm gone," Stefan said and quickly ghosted from the house.

Damon huffed and stood up, taking his car key from his pocket. "Do not make me regret this, Mikaelson," Damon said sternly, his icy blue eyes meeting hers intensely as he gripped the key.

"You won't," she promised, taking it from his hand.

"Don't be out all day," he demanded.

"I won't," she said, blowing him kiss as she walked away. Damon shook his head and settled back onto his seat. He had comfort in knowing Stefan's birthday was tomorrow, and the very next day he planned to have her on the next thing smoking out of Virginia.

* * *

Bonnie walked from the shop to the cafe, feeling calm and cool. After contemplating it all night, she decided she would hear Damon out, if not for anything but for her own peace of mind. She had done the one thing she'd promised she wouldn't and caught feelings for this man, and he owed her an explanation. Although she had no plans to entangle herself back into his sexual web, she didn't really want to be angry or hate anybody. Maybe they could separate peacefully, she and Stefan could go back to the way they were, and Damon could deal with Rebekah all on his own. She wasn't going to invest anymore feelings.

She decided to sit outside, coincidentally at the same table she and Damon had come for the first disastrous date. She just hoped history wouldn't be repeating itself. She waited for Damon. Five minutes passed, then ten. Her foot was starting to tick with impatience, and she surveyed the restaurant but there was no sign of him. She had no idea a pair of blazing blue eyes were watching her from across the street.

Rebekah's suspicions had been confirmed. It was Bonnie Bennett, of all people. She sat in Damon's blue Camaro, watching Bonnie sitting alone, steadily growing more impatient. She finally pulled our her cellphone and fifteen seconds later Damon's phone was ringing in Rebekah's hand. She smirked and promptly hit Ignore. She was going to let her suffer a little longer before she gave her some cold, hard closure.

It wasn't until the waiter come to her table for the third time and Bonnie waved him away in a much more irritated manner that Rebekah picked up Damon's phone and typed a message to her. She knew the girl was about thirty seconds from getting up and leaving and she wanted to see her reaction.

_I'm not coming, Bonnie,_ Rebekah typed. I'_m with Bekah right now and I'm going to work on things with her. What I had with you was purely for sex and I'm done with you. I don't want to see you_ _anymore I don't want to talk to you anymore. I love my girl. Don't call me again_. "And send," Rebekah spoke to herself as she sent the text.

It didn't take long for the message to go through. Rebekah watched as Bonnie read the message and her expression changed from one of irritation to one of fury. She threw her cell back in her purse. got up from the table and stormed out of the cafe. Rebekah smiled to herself.

* * *

When Bonnie entered the antique shop, she could hear voices coming from the back of the shop. She figured Sheila was making a sell and headed straight for the back room. She didn't want her Grams to see her at the moment and instantly know she was upset, and make the connection that it had something to do with Damon.

"Bonnie!" Too late. she'd been spotted. She turned to face Sheila, plastering a fake smile on her face. "Someone stopped by to see you," Grams told her. Out stepped a tall, beautiful blonde with a smile that lit up the room. Bonnie's jaw dropped. She instantly forgot what she'd been upset about a second ago.

"Caroline!" Bonnie rushed into her old friend's waiting arms and the two wrapped each other in a tight embrace. "I thought you weren't coming until tomorrow!"

"I thought I'd drop in a day early and give you and Elena a surprise," she said as they pulled away from each other. "And Grams."

"She was just telling me all about her life in San Diego," Sheila said with a smile.

"I could be getting promoted to anchor," she reported with glee. "I'll be the youngest reporter at the station to do it!"

"Wow, that's amazing!" Bonnie gushed."But I wouldn't expect anything less from Caroline Forbes." A customer entered the shop and Grams stepped away to greet them. "Stefan doesn't know you're here, does he?"

"No," Caroline said quickly. "No one does. I haven't even been to my hotel room yet, this was the first stop I made."

"I'm flattered to be a priority. Your husband couldn't make it?"

"No, not this time," Caroline replied with a bit of disappointment then she quickly brightened again. "I'm so excited for tomorrow night. It's been ages since we've all partied together. It'll be like old times!"

"You don't know how much I've been missing old times."

"We have so much to catch up on!"

"We should go to dinner with Elena but it can't be until after 6," Bonnie suggested.

"That's perfect, I still have things I need to do," Caroline said. "I need to check into my room, change, and I'm going to visit my mom." Bonnie's expression turned to one of concern.

"Did you want me to go with you?"

"No, I think it's better if I go alone this time," Caroline replied. Her mother had passed away three years prior to cancer, and Caroline made sure to visit her grave every time she was in town. Sometimes her friends accompanied her, sometimes she insisted on going alone.

Bonnie nodded in understanding. "Okay, well, I can't wait to see you later." They exchanged another warm hug and Bonnie found she was missing her friend the minute she left the shop. Caroline had given her the first genuine smile she had in days.

* * *

The next day was a busy one for Bonnie. She called Elena to be sure both Salvatores had vacated the premises before heading to the boardinghouse. She, Elena, and Caroline with a little assistance from Matt and Jeremy, spent the day setting everything up and making sure things were perfect for that night. Caroline being Caroline soon took over control and was shouting out demands and changing things to her liking. Bonnie and Elena could do nothing but smile and shake their heads at each other. They'd missed their friend.

The house was packed and the party was in full swing by the time Damon called Elena to let her know he was on his way back with an antsy Stefan. Keeping him out of the house without spilling the beans turned out to be a much harder feat than expected, so he tried his best to get him buzzed to shut him up.

The smile that graced Stefan's face when all his friends jumped out of the dark and screamed, "Surprise!" made all the trouble seem worth it to everyone involved. Everyone rushed him for hugs and he felt an overwhelming sense of love. He noticed Bonnie lingering in the back, and she slowly approached him after the crowd around him dispersed.

"Are you actually going to speak to me this time, or should I expect you walking away from me in two seconds?" She inquired.

Stefan's face grew serious. "Sometimes I can be an asshole. I'm sorry," he said. "Did you have something to do with this?"

"A little bit," she said with a shrug of the shoulders.

"And you know how much I hate big crowds and drunk people," he quipped.

"Well, you've been mad enough at me lately, I figured why not give you another reason."

Stefan grabbed her and pulled her in, kissing the crown of her head before giving her a warm hug. "I love you, Bo," he said in her ear and she smiled into his chest. He was then being pulled away by Caroline for a dance. Bonnie turned and met a pair of electric blue eyes, staring at her intensely. Damon was straight-faced and didn't look away, even after being caught staring. Bonnie shook her head and headed in the other direction, toward the liquor.

As she poured herself a mix of Ciroc and lemonade, she wasn't surprised to feel a masculine body press up against her from behind. "You can't ignore me forever," Damon said in her ear.

"Says who?" She turned and bumped him away with her hip before attempting to walk away. Damon quickly grabbed her hand before she could escape.

"Can we go somewhere and talk for a minute?" He requested. "Just let me give you the explanation and the apology you deserve. You don't have to have anything else to do with me after that."

"I already tried to give you a chance to talk and you blew it!" She snapped. "You're a disrespectful ass, Damon!"

His brow furrowed. "How?"

"You might want to back away from me," Bonnie suggested, coolly. "Your girlfriend just walked in." Damon turned and saw Rebekah entering the room. He didn't object when Bonnie pulled her hand from his grip and stalked away. Rebekah surveyed the room before locking eyes with him. She looked hot in her skintight blood-red dress, matching lipstick, stiletto heels, and her blonde hair primped and prepped to perfection. She looked sexy as hell and quite fuckable to every guy in the room, but Damon couldn't be any less happy to see her. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

Stefan had his head buried in the refrigerator, scouring for another beer and coming up short. When he emerged, Bonnie was beside him. "Shit," he cursed, refraining from showing he'd been startled. "Announce your presence next time, Bennett."

"Sorry," she said with a rueful smile. "I just wanted to give you this." She held out a wrapped gift.

"What? I thought the party was my gift," he said, taking it from her.

"Come on, you know me better than that," Bonnie said. Stefan nodded and opened it to reveal a Cartier box. Feeling it was too good to be true, he was proven wrong when he opened the box. "Oh shit. Bonnie...wow." He looked up at his friend and a wide smile broke his face.

"Do you like it?" She asked, hopefully.

"Like it? Are you crazy? I love it!" He exclaimed, then he was hugging her so tight she could hardly breathe. When he released her he removed the Cartier watch from the box and she assisted him in putting it on.

"It looks really good on you," she complimented him as he held his arm out to admire it.

"I can't believe you did this."

"I remember how upset you were when your Rolex was stolen," she said. "Those are out of my price range but..."

"It's amazing, Bonnie," he told her. He shook his head. "I don't deserve this. Not after the way I treated you."

"You needed some time and I get that," she replied. "Plus, I had already gotten the watch when you started acting like an ass." Stefan chuckled then quickly grew serious again.

"I am really sorry, Bo, for acting like an ass to you," he said. "You know I love you, and I just want what's best for you. From here on out, I'll support you in whatever decisions you make, I promise."

Bonnie smiled. "I love you, Stef. You'll always be my best friend."

"I love you too," he said, giving her another hug.

"Happy birthday, punk. I don't want to keep you from your party," Bonnie declared as she pulled away. "Go, enjoy, have fun!"

"I will, but I need to put this away before anything happens to it," Stefan said, gathering up the box and the wrapping paper. He left the kitchen and after grabbing some chips off of one of the platters, Bonnie followed. She accidentally collided with someone coming in as she was going out.

"I'm so sorry!" She exclaimed then quickly recognized the person. "Liam?"

"Bonnie," Liam Davis said with a smile. "I was wondering how long it would take for me to run into you here." Bonnie couldn't say the same. Liam hadn't crossed her mind in days, she hadn't even thought of the possibility of Elena inviting him to the party, and she was starting to feel bad about that fact.

"Me too," she fibbed. "You look nice."

"Thanks! So do you."

"Thanks." There was a pause in the conversation. "Liam, listen, about last week..."

"Don't worry about it," he quickly cut her off. "If it's not meant to be, it's not meant to be, right? I can't make you feel something that's not there. I'm just glad you didn't lead me on."

Bonnie nodded. "I'm glad to know you don't hold any ill feelings toward me," she said. "I hope this means we can be friends."

"Of course," he replied. "Save me a dance?"

"Yeah," Bonnie nodded in agreement with a smile he returned before he disappeared into the kitchen. She looked back out into the room which was packed with even more people than before. Caroline and Elena were at the center of things, dancing wildly together. Bonnie smiled to herself. She was glad Caroline was having a good time. Between being a career woman and a wife, Bonnie knew she rarely had time to just let loose and have fun, unlike the old Caroline who lived for a good party.

Bonnie decided to join the girls for a dance, which excited them even more. When Stefan and Matt intervened simultaneously to dance with Elena and Caroline, Bonnie tried to step away. When she turned she found Jeremy blocking her path.

"Want to dance?" He asked her with a hopeful smile.

"Maybe later," she said, then stepped around him. She found a place against the wall after making herself another drink. She was asked many times by different guys for a dance and refused them all, while trying to ignore Damon watching her like a hawk. When a song she really liked came on, she put her drink down and finally moved from her spot, deciding to take Liam up on his offer. She searched the room for him and when she finally found him he was pressed up against the wall, sucking face with Dana Nelson, a former Mystic Falls High cheerleader. Bonnie couldn't say she was surprised.

* * *

Rebekah wasn't having any fun. The drinks were flowing, the music was bumping, the people were attractive, yet somehow she wasn't having an ounce of fun. It was all stupid Damon's fault and that bitch, Bonnie. Damon was completely ignoring Rebekah, but she saw the looks he and Bonnie kept shooting each other from across the room all night. It was infuriating but Rebekah was doing her best to keep from going off.

Instead, she grabbed Matt Donovan and proceeded to grind her body against him, nearly coming out of her dress. Damon didn't even notice. He did a quick sweep of the room and quickly realized that Bonnie had disappeared. He put down his drink and exited the room, determined to find her.

She was upstairs in Damon's bathroom at the moment, washing her hands. After shutting off the water and drying off her hands, she lingered there, taking a deep breath. She wasn't ready to go back to the party. She hadn't been enjoying herself all that much, even with the presence of the bubbly Caroline Forbes. Taking off her heels to give her feet some relief, she hoisted herself up onto the counter beside the sink. A moment later she heard the bedroom door opening.

"No one's allowed up here!" She called out then saw it was Damon approaching. Her face fell. "Oh."

"Comfortable?" He asked her as he walked in the bathroom.

"I just needed a moment to myself," she explained. "I'm extremely buzzed and I'm starting get a headache."

"We can stay up here," he suggested. "I'm not in the mood to party either, and I'm sure I drank enough for the both of us."

Bonnie gave him a look. "No thanks." She started to slide off the counter but Damon quickly moved in front of her, blocking her way down.

"Can you please stop running from me?" His blue eyes were pleading. "I hate not having you around, Bonnie. I know I should stay away from you, let you have your space, but I can't. I don't want Rebekah, I don't want to be alone, I want you." He tried to reach for her but she pushed his hands away.

"That's not what you said yesterday when you blew off our meeting," she snapped.

"What meeting? What the hell are you talking about?"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about!" She exclaimed. "You agreed to meet me at the cafe so we could talk about everything and you stood me up! Left me sitting there, waiting for you like an idiot while you were off with Rebekah! You told me you used me for sex so why are you still in my face? What, were you drunk when you sent me that message like that ridiculous voicemail you left me?"

"I never sent that message," Damon stated. He cursed to himself. "Rebekah. I let her borrow my car yesterday and I couldn't find my phone for hours. It must have been her."

Bonnie shook her head. "That's exactly the type of shit I don't need," she said. "She's your problem, I don't need her to be mine too." She tried to move again but Damon gently cupped her face in his hands.

"Don't leave me," he said. "I need you. I'll take care of Bekah, she's leaving tomorrow night. But I need you, Bonnie. You're the only one who can keep me sane through this. I miss you." He started kissing her. She tried to push him off but he didn't budge. He held onto her, kissing her more feverishly.

"Damon..." she grumbled against his mouth. His lips traveled down her face to her neck. He leaned over the counter while wrapping his arm around her, bringing her body closer to his. Her back was pressed against the mirror and she closed her eyes as he sucked on her neck with determination. "Stop..." Her voice was soft and not as demanding as she closed her eyes. "We can't do this...we've been drinking."

"So what?" He planted kisses down to the valley of her breasts. "I want you." A small moan escaped Bonnie as she wrapped her leg around his waist. Her heart nearly jumped out of her chest at the explosive sound of glass breaking right beside them. Damon jumped away from her and Bonnie quickly pulled up the top half of her dress. Rebekah was in the doorway, fuming, one stiletto in her hand, the other lay on the floor, surrounded by broken pieces of the mirror.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" A shocked Damon cried.

"What do the hell do you think you're doing?!" She shouted, her eyes brimming with angry tears. "You were going to fuck her right over my head?" She set her eyes on Bonnie, the rage quickly brewing over. "And you, you fucking bitch!" She was suddenly flying at her. She threw her stiletto at Bonnie just before pouncing on her. "Keep your bloody hands off my man!"

Obscenities flew from the blonde's mouth as she tried to attack Bonnie, who was much stronger than she looked and quickly overpowered her, slamming her up against the shattered mirror. Damon was shouting at them to stop as he tried to separate them, managing to pry Bonnie's hand from around Bekah's throat but Bekah grabbed ahold of her hair before Damon could get her away.

"Tell that bitch to let go of my hair!" Bonnie screamed, furiously, trying to pull herself out of Rebekah's grip. Damon lifted Rebekah in the air, but she still wouldn't release her hold on Bonnie's locks. Soon, Stefan and Elena were rushing into the room.

"What the hell is going on?" Stefan stared wide-eyed at the fracas taking place before him.

When Elena realized her friend was being attacked she immediately jumped on Rebekah. "Fuck off me, you stupid bitch!" Rebekah shrieked as she found herself being pulled and scratched by the beautiful brunette who was fueled with liquid courage.

"Let her go, Rebekah!" Elena demanded, her fist wrapped around her blonde hair. Bonnie finally managed to free herself from the squabble.

"You want to fight! We can fight!" She shouted, ready to put her foot to Rebekah's ass in a fair one.

"Just leave, Bonnie!" Damon shouted but she didn't even hear him. Damon was blocking her access to Rebekah, who was still being yoked up by Elena, so she decided to go through him, but there was no way she was walking away without teaching Rebekah a lesson. Damon suddenly felt a small body on his back, as Bonnie tried to climb over him as she swung at Rebekah. Damon found himself in the middle of three shrieking, fired-up females, all trying to get to each other by any means possible yet he seemed to be taking most of the damage.

"A little help here, Stefan!" Damon cried over his shoulder. Stefan snapped to attention after getting over the shock of what was happening and grabbed his girlfriend by the waist.

"Stop it, Elena!" He yelled, pulling her away. He put her down and pushed her toward the bedroom. "Go sit down!" He turned and pulled Bonnie off of Damon, carrying her out of the bedroom kicking and screaming.

"Let go of me!" She yelled. He ignored her demand and threw her over his shoulder, taking her all the way downstairs. Partygoers looked at them curiously as they passed.

"What's going on?" An oblivious Caroline asked with wide eyes. She didn't get an answer so she followed them outside onto the lawn. Bonnie was still talking shit when he placed her back on her feet.

"Fine! Bring that bitch outside!" She cried.

"Calm down, Bonnie," Stefan demanded.

"Bring her out here!" She screamed over him. "I'll fuck that bitch up, Stefan, I swear I will!"

"I know you will but what will that prove?" He questioned.

"It'll prove that she should've never came for me!"

Caroline stood still, trying to process everything. "What the hell happened?"

"Hell if I know," Stefan said. "Elena and I were going to my room then we heard shouting coming from Damon's room. We go in there and Bonnie and Rebekah are going at it!"

"I didn't have any problems with her dumb ass," Bonnie added. "She tried to hit me and now I have to whip her ass. I have no choice."

"But...why?" Caroline asked. "Why did she try to hit you?" She still wasn't getting any real answers. Damon and Elena were crossing the vast lawn toward them. Elena had pulled her hair back and Damon looked just as disheveled as the girls. His shirt had been ripped, exposing his chest which bore a long scratch mark that could've came from any of the girl's long fingernails. Damon approached Bonnie but she quickly stepped out of his reach.

"You stay the fuck away from me!" She said, through gritted teeth. "This is all your fault."

"I still don't know what's going on," Caroline said to herself.

"Is she coming out here?!" Bonnie cried into the air. "Tell her I'm waiting on her!"

"Here." Elena handed her a hair tie and her phone. "Put your hair up."

"What the hell are you doing, Elena? Don't encourage her!" Stefan exclaimed, frustrated.

"I'm not but if Bekah attacks her again she should be prepared," Elena argued then she turned to Bonnie and spoke in a lowered tone. "Are you okay? I'm so sorry that crazy bitch went after you. Come on." Elena took Bonnie by the arm and they headed away from the group.

"So...no one's going to tell me anything?" Caroline said aloud. She was ignored.

Bonnie leaned against one of the many cars parked in front the house as Elena tried to comfort her. She was still fuming inside, but she was trying her best to calm herself and keep from exploding. The effort went to waste when Damon appeared in front of her.

"Didn't I tell you to stay away from me?" Bonnie said.

"Listen, I'm so sorry..." He received a sharp slap to the face.

"I don't need another goddamn sorry from you!" Bonnie hissed, angrily. He stepped back and she hit him again. "I hate you! I hate you, I hate you, I hate you!" She was furiously swinging at him, hitting him in the face and chest, and he made no move to stop her as he attempted to step back and dodge the blows. She felt hands on her, pulling her away. She snatched her arm from Stefan's grip, turned on her heel, and stalked away. She ignored her name being called as she headed off. She was fighting the tears that were threatening to drop as she pulled her cell from her pocket and dialed a familiar number.

"Hello?"

"Can you please come pick me up?" She sobbed into the phone. "I'm at the boardinghouse, I can't drive. Please."

"I'm on my way," Tyler promised.

* * *

**A/N: Rebekah will be making her exit but I couldn't let her go without her leaving her mark. She successfully drove an even bigger wedge between Bonnie and Damon and ruined Stefan's party in the process. Don't you just love her? (Complete sarcasm, please don't hurt me). The question is, how will these two crazy kids overcome this obstacle? Hope you stick around to find out! Love you guys!**


	10. Fallout

**A/N: Hello again! I'm back with the latest after that very controversial last chapter. I so appreciate all the responses and to the new readers/reviewers, welcome! I hope you've been enjoying this very bumpy ride. Before we get into it I want to clarify something about the last chapter. Stefan was NOT trying to encourage Damon and Rebekah to get back together. He only wanted Damon to get out and have some fun and Bekah had promised to behave herself. He wasn't pushing them together romantically but if that's how it came off then I messed up.**

**Thanks again for all the love you guys have been showing me and this fic. It's a little crazy, I know, and I was sure not to list this as a romance but as a drama because of all the tough times for Bamon, ****so I understand if it's not for everyone. I can only thank you for giving it a chance. I know I gave a warning at the beginning of this story but I'm going to drop it again here.**

**Warning: This story will contain very mature content, hence the rating. There will be strong language, violence, elements of abuse, and sexual situations. To any Tyler fans, please don't hate me. This fic is AU/AH and I didn't want to use any major OCs, so he will be very O.O.C.**

**Let's get to it, Bamily! **

**Song Credit: Premonitions by Vaults **

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, except my OC. They belong to the CW. No copyright infringement intended.

* * *

**10 - Fallout**

_Let's take it right back to where we used to go_

_But we never look back_

_No, we only look forward to other new pain_

_And violence turned to blame_

_\- Vaults_

Damon's blue eyes were blazing with anger as he stormed into the boardinghouse. He glared around at all the young people having the time of their lives and grew angrier. He sneered as he unplugged the music system, causing a stir of disgruntled groans in the room. "Everybody, get out!" He commanded. Nobody moved. "Now!" Everyone moaned and groaned as they headed out, carrying their drunk friends along with them. Damon shouted at the ones who lingered. "Why the hell are you just standing there staring at me? Get the fuck out!" They all hustled out the door and Damon headed up the stairs.

Outside on the lawn, Stefan was in the process of scolding his girlfriend. "What are you doing jumping into fights, huh?" He asked Elena, still annoyed by her actions. "You're not a savage, don't act like one."

"I know, it was stupid but she attacked Bonnie," Elena replied. "I know the girl can handle her own but to be honest I've never liked Rebekah and I saw an opportunity. What, am I saying...that's not right." Elena shook her head at her own words. "I've had just a little too much to drink but I'm cutting myself off."

Caroline stepped up to the pair. "I don't know where Bonnie's going but I'm going to follow her," she announced. "I understand she's upset and needs space but she doesn't need to be wandering off alone at this time of night."

Elena nodded. "I'll go with you."

"Good idea, don't let her get too far by herself," Stefan quickly agreed. "I'm going to find Damon, make sure he doesn't flip on Rebekah. And I'm getting her the hell out of my house." The three of them headed off in different directions as disappointed partygoers poured from the mansion.

Damon found Rebekah in the guest room, sitting on the edge of the bed with her hands to her face, sobbing. Her tears did nothing to deter the hatred he felt as he looked at her. "Get out," he demanded through gritted teeth. She looked up at him, her face full of distress but she didn't move. "What, are you deaf? I said get out!" He yelled. Rebekah stood as he moved into the room but he walked past the bed to the drawers, yanking them open and snatching her things out.

"Stop it!" She cried, trying to grab them away from him. "Don't touch my stuff!"

"You're getting the hell out of my house," he snarled, continuing to grab her stuff despite her protests. "I don't care where you go, you can sleep on the street for all I care, but you're getting the fuck out of here."

"Stop it, Damon!" She cried but he ignored her. He picked her bag up off the floor and the struggled with it for a second before he forcefully yanked it out of her grip, almost making her fall over. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

"You!" He shouted, his eyes wide as he elongated the word for emphasis. "When are you going to understand that! I don't want you anymore but you keep coming around wreaking havoc on my life! It's you! You're what's wrong with me! You have two minutes to pack your shit and get out or I'm tossing it all over the balcony and please don't think I won't because I will take pleasure in it, honey."

Bekah's face scrunched in anger and she ran at him, shoving him full force. He barely moved and she pushed him again furiously. "This is all your fault!" She shrieked. "You made me like this!"

"Stop it," he demanded as she kept pushing him, her nails digging into his skin. "Stop! I said stop it!" He roughly pushed her away from him and she stopped, wiping her tears away.

"So, what, you're going to be with Bonnie now?" Rebekah asked through her incessant tears. "Bonnie fucking Bennett?! And I'm supposed to just accept this and move on? Are you serious?!"

"You don't know anything about Bonnie Bennett," Damon spat. "Maybe if you were more like her we wouldn't be having these problems!" That statement stung Rebekah right in her heart. Damon looked apologetic for a split second, realizing how hurtful those words were, then his eyes shifted back into anger. "What I do and who I do it with is not your concern, Rebekah, because we are not together. I'm not going to tell you again."

"Everything okay in here?" Stefan had appeared in the doorway. Their body language was enough to answer that question for him.

Bonnie had stopped not too far from the house and was waiting impatiently for Tyler by the street sign. It wasn't long before the street was filled with all the drunk somebodies Damon had ejected from the party and their designated drivers. Some stopped to question her on what had transpired back at the house and why she was standing there, but she quickly dismissed their questions. Her responses became more rude the more she was asked as she was in no mood for mere acquaintances prying in her business and just wanted to get away.

"Bonnie!" She didn't turn at the sound of her name being called, as she already knew who it was. Caroline and Elena rushed up to her.

"I'm sorry guys, but I gotta go," Bonnie told them.

"Where are you going?" Elena inquired.

"Home," she responded. She was relieved at the sight of Tyler's car approaching, but Elena's eyes widened in horror.

"No, Bonnie, you can't mean home with him," she said.

"Why don't you stay here tonight and try to cool off?" Caroline suggested.

"You're kidding me, right?" Bonnie said with a raised brow.

"They're getting rid of Bekah, she won't be here," Elena explained.

Bonnie scoffed. "How many times have I heard that?" She threw back. She stepped toward the car.

"Bonnie, I know you're angry at Damon but this isn't the way to go," Elena said.

"This isn't an act of revenge, Elena!" Bonnie clarified. "He's taking me home. Tyler is my friend. I called on him when I needed him and he came through, like he always has. Tyler was my friend before he was my boyfriend, and who's to say he can't be my friend after? I just want to go home and forget about this whole night, okay? Don't make this out to be more than it is." She opened the door to the passenger side and Elena reached out and grabbed her arm, gripping it tighter than Bonnie appreciated. "I love you, Elena, but you have three seconds to let go of me," she warned. Elena released her and she got in the car, shutting the door. Elena and Caroline watched helplessly as they pulled off.

"They're going to be miserable together," Rebekah promised Stefan as he escorted her from the house to the cab that was awaiting her at the curb.

"Maybe, but you won't be around to find out," he quipped. Elena and Caroline were walking up as he threw her bags into the backseat of the cab. Rebekah rolled her eyes at his eagerness to get rid of her, then she spotted Elena and her body stilled.

"Coming back to jump on me again, are you?" She asked in her thick accent.

"No, Rebekah, I'm here to see you off and wish you the best of luck for your future," Elena stated.

Rebekah narrowed her eyes at her, trying to determine her genuineness. "Fuck off," she sniped before climbing into the cab.

"We love you too, Rebekah," Stefan quipped.

"Don't speak for me," Caroline remarked, snidely. They all watched as the car pulled off and transported her away. Stefan turned his attention back to the girls when she was out of sight.

"Where's Bonnie?" He questioned. They exchanged a look and he raised his eyebrow.

"She left," Caroline revealed. "With Tyler."

"What?!"

"We tried to stop her but she just wanted to get away," Elena explained.

Stefan released an exasperated breath. "Why would you let her go with him? She's probably feeling vulnerable and he might try to take advantage of that."

"I'm sorry but didn't you let her leave the Grill with him like two days ago?" Caroline called out. Stefan huffed at the fact Elena had told her about that. Stefan had acted like a pouty asshole, pretending that he didn't care what Bonnie did, and now he was regretful. Elena hadn't told her anything about Damon and Bonnie's relationship, feeling that was something they should discuss on their own, but they had talked about their feelings on Tyler trying to win Bonnie over again and the fact that it seemed to be working.

"Well, I guess there's nothing any of us can do if she's determined to be around him," Stefan said with a sigh. "I'm sure it won't be long before they're arguing again and he shows her the reason why they didn't work out in the first place. Let's go inside. We'll just tell Damon that she went back to her Grams."

They headed back up the vast lawn toward the house. Elena wrapped her arm around Stefan and leaned her head on him. "I'm sorry your birthday was ruined," Elena pouted.

"It's okay, baby, it's not your fault."

Caroline just shook her head in disbelief that she was now living in a world where Bonnie and Damon fought for each other. What exactly had gone down in the time since her last visit?, she wondered, having no clue just how complicated the answer to that question was.

* * *

Bonnie was feeling just a little bit better. She had been glad to come home and take a shower, washing away that godawful party. After putting on a pair of her favorite pajamas that was still sitting in her drawer, she wandered back into the bathroom. She examined her face in the mirror. Aside from a small scratch above her eye, it was unmarked. Her hairdo had taken the brunt of the damage. She sighed as she picked up her brush and ran it through her hair. She lifted her eyes and met Tyler's in the mirror. He was in the doorway, studying her with a look of concern.

"Are you going to tell me what happened?" He questioned.

She sighed deeply. "I had a disagreement with Rebekah," she revealed. "She's completely crazy. The party went to complete shit, and I had to get out of there. Thank you for picking me up, Tyler. I like being able to call on you as a friend."

"You can call on me whenever you need me," he told her, approaching her from behind. "As a friend...or whatever else you want me to be." He wrapped his arms around her, breathing in her scent as he held her. "We can go to bed, or we can talk about whatever you want to talk about. I'm here for you." He gently moved her wet hair from one side of her to the other with the intention of kissing her.

"Thank you Tyler, but I'm really tired. I just want to go to bed."

"What is this?" He asked, his tone no longer gentle.

"What?"

"What the hell is this on your neck?!"

Bonnie's brow furrowed. "What are you talking about?" She attempted to step away from him but he grabbed her by the neck and pulled her back.

"You have a fucking hicky on your neck, Bonnie!" He cried. Her heart dropped into her stomach. Yes, Damon had been kissing all over her in the bathroom but the possibility of him leaving his mark hadn't even crossed her mind since the ensuing catastrophe was all she could think about. She wished she could sink into the floor. She wanted to be anywhere but there in that bathroom with an angry football player. He spoke through gritted teeth. "Did you fuck someone at that party?"

She stepped back as he advanced toward her. She shook her head. "No, that's not what happened..." She said but he wasn't listening. She watched his eyes darken, his jaw clench, and his body language completely shift. His anger was about to boil over in two seconds, and knowing she would be on the receiving end of it, her heart raced at the knowledge that she may not come out of it in one piece.

* * *

Stefan was startled awake by a loud banging. He sat up in bed and looked to Elena who was dead to the world beside him. The banging continued as he flipped back the covers and hopped out of bed. When he went out into the hall Damon was coming out of his room.

"Who the hell is that?" Asked an annoyed Damon.

"I don't know." Stefan headed down the stairs, followed by his brother, ready to curse out whoever was waking him out of his slumber so disrespectfully. "What the hell?! " He cried as he swung open the front door and suddenly a small body was falling into him.

"Stefan!" Bonnie had flung herself at him without warning, and as Stefan caught her he could feel her shaking.

"Bonnie, what's wrong?" He asked, holding onto her as he guided her into the house. Damon flipped on the hall light and Bonnie looked up at Stefan with wide, scared eyes. He instantly felt anger rising within him at the sight of a prominent dark ring circling her eye. Her lip was bleeding, she sported a bruise on her cheek and along her arms.

"I'm going to kill him!" He declared through gritted teeth, pulling out of Bonnie's grip.

"Stefan, wait, please don't leave!" She shrieked. He saw the panic in her eyes and wrapped his arms around her again.

"Okay, I'm won't, Bo, don't worry," he said, soothingly. He was trying to remain calm but he wanted to knock some heads off. "I'm right here. You're safe now." Bonnie burrowed her head in his chest. Stefan hadn't realized Damon had left until he returned, now dressed in jeans he'd thrown on and shoes. His blue eyes were blazing.

"That bastard put his hands on her?"

Stefan nodded. "It's bad."

"I'm going over there." He started toward the door.

Bonnie turned her head toward him. "Don't!" She pleaded. Seeing her damaged face brought Damon's fury to the surface. There was no way he wasn't going to see Lockwood about this. "Please, I don't want this situation to get any worse."

Stefan stepped toward him and dropped his voice. "She may be right," he suggested. "I want to kick his ass too but he's the mayor's son. If you do anything to him, you could get into a lot of trouble. I don't want to be bailing you out of jail."

"You think I care?" Damon snapped. "Look at her. Look at what he did to her. I'm going to bury him!" He turned away from him and opened the door.

"Damon..." Stefan was ignored as his brother stepped out into the night, slamming the door behind him. He turned back to Bonnie who burst into tears. Stefan caught her as she dropped to her knees.

"I don't know how this happened," she sobbed.

"I'm so sorry," Stefan said, his voice wavering. "I'm so sorry this happened to you." He continued to hold her as she cried, fighting back tears himself. He hadn't seen her in so much pain since her mom died, and even then she'd managed to keep her composure until she couldn't take it anymore and broke down in front of Stefan and her Grams. They had been the only ones she allowed to see her fall apart.

This time around, the physical and emotional pain inflicted by someone whom she'd loved for years and was supposed to love her back was too much for her to handle and she was breaking down again. Stefan was cursing to himself, wishing he had prevented this. Now, there was nothing he could do to undo this.

"I hurt him."

"You what?" Stefan asked as Bonnie's voice was slightly muffled by his shirt. She lifted her head and looked at him.

"I think I hurt him," she repeated. "I had tried to run and he caught me...I picked up a bottle and smashed it on his head as hard as I could. He went down and I kept hitting him. I just left him there on the ground. He wasn't moving. I don't know if..." She started sobbing again.

"It's okay, Bo, you had to defend yourself," Stefan said, reassuringly. He started to stand, bringing her up with him.

"Come on, I'm bringing you to the hospital."

"No."

"What?"

"I don't need to go to the hospital," she said.

"You have to let them check you out," he argued. "I'm taking you."

"No, Stefan," she said in a stern tone. His brows knitted together as he studied her.

"Why? Because they're going to ask questions?" He pressed. "You can't possibly be trying to protect this guy after what he did to you!"

"It's not about protecting _him,_ Stefan," she told him. "If I thought it was completely necessary for me to go, then I would, okay, but it's not. I just need some ice and I want rest more than anything in the world."

Stefan huffed. "Well, I'm calling Meredith." Meredith Fell was a mutual friend of theirs and a doctor at the local hospital. She didn't do house calls but Stefan knew she was reliable in the case of an emergency like this.

"You don't need to bother her at this time of night," Bonnie debated. "I'll see her in the morning."

"It's not up for discussion, Bonnie," Stefan started, firmly. He scooped her up in his arms and carried her into the living room. He settled her on the couch then disappeared. He reappeared three minutes later with an ice pack and a glass of water. She winced as he placed it to her cheek, but held onto it.

"She's on her way," he told her as he sat beside her, looking at her with a furrowed brow, his green eyes full of concern. Meredith had not been pleased at being roused out of her sleep, but as soon as Stefan told her Bonnie had been attacked she was out of bed. Stefan knew she could detect the signs of domestic violence and would question Bonnie, but she would be more open to speaking with her than anyone else.

He handed her the water. She attempted to drink but sobbed instead and put it down. "I'm such a mess," she said, her shoulders drooping.

"No, you're not," Stefan disagreed. "Look at me, Bonnie." She met his eyes willfully. "This asshole is never going to hurt you again. I won't allow it. He's going to get what's coming to him, I promise. Okay?"

"I love you, Stef," she said with a pouted lip.

"I love you more," he replied. She sighed and leaned on his shoulder

"I hate Damon," she declared with a huff. "I want to hate him but I think I might feel something else for him as well, and it scares the crap out of me."

"I know."

She looked to him with worried eyes. "What am I supposed to do about that?"

* * *

Damon was growing impatient. If Lockwood didn't make an appearance soon, he was driving straight to his mother's house and if he was there, no fucks would be given. He was still going to rip him to shreds, right in front of her. Just as Damon was about to start up the car and go over there, a sleek Lexus pulled up in front of the house. A few moments later, Carol Lockwood was getting out of the driver's seat and Tyler was climbing out of the passenger, a bandage wrapped around his head. Damon's lip curled up in disgust as he watched the bastard enter the house, his mom holding onto him like he was some kind of victim. He wanted to kick the shit out of both of them.

"I can't believe she did this to you," Carol Lockwood declared with a disappointed shake of the head as she pressed a cold compress onto her son's head. "For her to actually get so angry that she became violent. I can't believe it."

"It doesn't matter now, Mom, it's over between us," Tyler responded.

"Of course it matters," the mayor argued. She had been the one to bring him to the ER where they told him he'd suffered a minor concussion. He claimed to have been in a bar fight with a stranger and said a guy bust him in the head with a bottle but his mother questioned the veracity of this story the whole ride home. He finally revealed he and Bonnie had had a nasty fight, leaving out the detail that he'd gotten violent first and beat on her like she was a man.

But Carol Lockwood wasn't stupid. Tyler's father had been a violent, angry man. She'd spent many days covering her bruises with make-up, and stepping out in public with the huge smile planted on her face, because any and everything could be used against her politician husband so she'd better make damn sure she looked happy. Carol had always tried her best to be a good wife, but it never seemed to be enough. The littlest thing could set him off, and she'd find herself cleaning her own blood out of the beige carpet because she'd be too embarrassed to let the maid see it. He could come home and be pissed off about something that happened at work and she'd be the one he took it out on. But she stuck with him throughout all of his violent outbursts, extra-marital affairs, and verbal abuse because she believed that's what a politician's wife was supposed to do, all the way until the day he died.

She'd always been afraid of how much Tyler seemed to take after his father. It hit an all time high during his high school years. He dated a lot of girls, most of whom seemed to only be interested in partying and scoring with the star of the football team, and he got into a lot of fights. He rebelled against most of the rules she tried to set with him, not caring about the image he was supposed to portray as the mayor's son. It wasn't until he got serious with Bonnie that he seemed to change for the better.

Carol hadn't exactly approved of Bonnie at first. She wasn't of a Founding Family or a refined, wealthy background like Tyler. Carol was surprised when he first brought her home. He'd never dated a Black girl before and she'd never expected that he would. Bonnie didn't seem like his type, and she and her grandmother, who seemed to be the only real family she had, didn't seem like her kind of people at all. She had hoped Tyler would end up with a girl more like Elena Gilbert who was beautiful, from a respected family, and an integral part of the community. Then she got to know Bonnie. She saw how much she loved her son, and the positive influence she had on him. She was kind, thoughtful, loyal, and strong, a trait Carol wished she had inherited herself. She didn't need their level of wealth or status to be confident in herself or family name. She was Bonnie Bennett and she loved who she was. Yes, she was feisty and Carol had witnessed her putting Tyler in his place a few times in a way she found admirable. She was good to him without taking any of his crap. How had it come to this? How could she have gone from loving him so deeply to sending him to the hospital. She could've killed Tyler, and Carol was not okay with that.

She'd insisted on calling the cops and going and speaking to Bonnie herself but Tyler was adamantly against this. He seemed to really, really not want his mother to see Bonnie and it was sending up red flags. Carol wanted so badly to believe her son but she couldn't shake the nagging feeling that he still wasn't telling her the whole story, and she had her suspicions of what the whole story was.

"So, she came here with you after sleeping with another man, and when you were yelling at her about it she grabbed a vodka bottle and just whacked you with it?" Carol relayed the tale she'd been told.

Tyler sighed. "I really don't want to talk about this anymore, Mom."

"It's just sounds crazy to me," she said. "I really want to talk to her about this. She can't get away with this. I'm calling the cops."

"No!" Tyler cried. "I'm not going to have Bonnie arrested, that's crazy."

"I will never understand you two," Carol said with another shake of the head. Tyler winced and held his head. "I'll go grab your pain meds." She disappeared from the room. Tyler pondered getting up and getting himself a beer but he really didn't want to move. He sucked his teeth when there was a knock at the door. He contemplated calling his mom to get it, then decided he was way too close not to do it himself and got up.

He opened the door to find a livid Damon Salvatore standing on the other side. His brow furrowed. "What the hell are you - "

Tyler's question was cut off as Damon's fist slammed into his mouth. Tyler staggered back and Damon quickly followed up with another blow to the head. Tyler felt an explosion of pain as he dropped to the floor and Damon was instantly over him. His face was of pure, unadulterated hatred and rage as he rained blows down on Tyler mercilessly. He didn't even stop for a second when Carol ran back into the room and started screaming.

"Stop it! What are you doing?!" She ran to them and tried to pull Damon off of him to no avail. "I'm calling the cops!"

"I don't care!" Damon growled. Tyler tried to cover himself as Damon punched him again. Damon was raising his fist again when a vase suddenly came crashing down on his back. He fell away from Tyler, who lay bleeding and bruised on the floor. Carol instantly ran to her son's side.

"He's the one you should be calling the cops on," Damon grunted. "I was just giving him the same treatment he gave Bonnie."

"Get out," Carol demanded.

"Do you know that your son likes to beat up girls?" Damon questioned as he slowly got to his feet. "Did he tell you what he did to Bonnie? How she showed up at my house with a black eye and a busted lip, terrified for her life. Did he tell you that?" Carol's wide, teary blue eyes gave him his answer. "That's what I thought." He started toward the door and looked back at them before he stepped out. "You better keep your son far away from Bonnie or you'll have to send me to jail for murder." He slammed the door behind him, leaving his threat lingering in the air.

* * *

Bonnie was stretched out on the couch, her head on Stefan's chest, as she slept. Meredith had stopped by and taken a look at her, deducing that she would heal fine and her biggest issue would be holding her attacker responsible. Bonnie was being tight-lipped but Meredith was sure she knew who the culprit was. She worked on her bruises as best she could with what she had, leaving behind compresses and a cream for Bonnie to treat them with. Meredith convinced her to take pictures of all the bruises so the incident couldn't be denied.

Bonnie and Stefan talked for a little while after the doctor left and he held her until she drifted off. It had been a hell of a night, and a long one, so he understood she was exhausted and he didn't move from under her out of fear of waking her. He soon dozed off himself but was awakened by Damon's return. His brow furrowed when his brother walked into the living-room, blood coated on his knuckles and spattered on his shirt.

"What the hell happened?" He questioned in a low but alarmed tone.

"What do you think? Don't be surprised if the washed-up Mystic Falls police come barging through the door within the hour." Damon's eyes settled on Bonnie and his expression softened. "How is she doing?"

"A little better considering the situation," Stefan responded. "She was worried about you."

"After what happened tonight I'm surprised she'd give a damn about what happens to me."

"That's the kind of person Bonnie is," Stefan said. "Once she cares about you, she cares. Even if you don't deserve it."

"I'll be right back." Damon left the room and trekked to the nearest bathroom. He washed off all the blood from his hands and stripped off his ruined shirt before returning to the living-room. Stefan already knew his intent and said nothing as Damon gently picked up Bonnie and cradled her in his arms. He carried her slowly and purposefully to his bedroom, and her eyes remained closed the whole time. He laid her on his bed, and as he draped a blanket over her, her tired green eyes opened.

"Damon," she whispered.

"I didn't mean to wake you."

"Damon," she repeated, her eyes starting to close again. "I don't hate you."

Damon studied her as she just as quickly drifted off again. Her face had been damaged by that asshole Tyler, yet she managed to be as beautiful as ever. Damon wished more than anything he could make her pain go away, the physical and emotional. "I'm so sorry, Bonnie," he whispered as he leaned over and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. He got up from the bed and headed to the door. He was going to sleep on the couch for the night. He didn't want her to wake in the morning, come to her senses, and gauge his eyes out for putting her in bed with him. He looked back at her slumbering form, finally peaceful, before stepping out of the room and quietly shutting the door behind him.

* * *

Tyler groaned as Carol sat beside him on the bed and placed yet another ice pack to his newly acquired black eye. "Fuck my life," he whined. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to ignore the incessant pounding in his head, wishing the pain medication would just kick in already. He couldn't wait until he healed and could rip Salvatore apart, both him his brother. He wasn't going to be caught off guard ever again. The fact that Bonnie had come home with a hicky after leaving Damon's house, and he'd been the one to attack Tyler after their fight, confirmed one thing to him. She had been fucking Damon Salvatore, of all people. His enemy and a man she'd claimed to despise for years. She could've been faking her contempt for him all this time, and they could've been fucking behind Tyler's back throughout he and Bonnie's entire relationship for all he knew. Regardless, he was going to get Damon back for this.

"Tyler," Carol spoke in a soft voice. "Tyler, look at me." He slowly opened his ebony eyes and fixed them on his mother. "Did you put your hands on that girl?" She questioned. His expression hardened. "Did you?" He said nothing and her eyes welled in disappointment. "That is not okay. You need help, You're going to therapy and we're going to fix this problem before it gets any worse." She leaned down and dropped her voice. "But if you ever put your hands on another woman, I will lock you away myself, and there will be no bailing you out. I refuse to let you become the monster your father was." She gently placed her lips to his forehead before getting up, leaving him wide-eyed, perplexed, and a little shocked that she would threaten to lock him up. "I love you son," she told him before leaving the room and allowing the first tear to drop.

* * *

It took Bonnie a moment to remember where she was and how she'd gotten there when she woke in the morning. She was greeted by a pounding headache and aches all over. She groaned as she sat up and took in her surroundings. She didn't remember coming up to Damon's room, and where the hell was he?

Bonnie didn't get out of bed. She wasn't ready to face the day and deal with the aftermath of what had happened the night before. She got up to go to the bathroom, then tucked herself back into the comfort of Damon's bed. She wouldn't be falling back to sleep anytime soon, but staying in bed was better than the alternative.

It wasn't long before there was a soft knock on the door. Bonnie slightly sat up, "Come in," she called out. The door creaked open and Elena stuck her pretty little head in.

"Hey, you're up." She stepped inside the room, closing the door behind her. She was still in her pajamas, a navy blue tank top and loose pajama shorts, her brown hair pulled back into a messy bun. It was obvious she had woken herself not too long ago. Bonnie smiled at her as she joined her on the bed, sliding under the covers beside her. Bonnie lay back down and Elena lay on her side so she could look at her friend.

"I'm so sorry, Bonnie," she said. "You did not deserve this. Any of what happened last night. Tyler should be thrown in jail and left to rot for this."

Bonnie sighed. "I know," she said. "But I can't help feeling like it was my fault."

"How could you say that? Of course it's not your fault that he's a complete psycho."

"I shouldn't have went over there," Bonnie elaborated. "I shouldn't have trusted that we could be friends, or that he would be able to accept us just being friends. Tyler doesn't have any girl friends for a reason, and damn sure not anyone that he's ever dated. I was stupid and naive to think that I could keep him in my life in any capacity. We've had nasty fights, but last night he became a person I didn't even recognize."

"What happened?" Elena inquired. "What made him do this?"

Bonnie pulled the hair from her neck. "He saw this." Elena eyes widened at the sight of the prominent love mark on her neck. "He thought I had slept with someone at the party and he...snapped." Bonnie felt her heart spike at the memory. "It was crazy, I was looking in his eyes and I saw them change. It was almost like his entire face changed and Tyler was gone. I remember screaming, I kept screaming _'Stop, Tyler! It's me, it's me!'._ But he wasn't hearing me, he wasn't even seeing me. He was just seeing someone he wanted to hurt. I actually feared for my life. If I hadn't been able to get my hands on that bottle..." Bonnie looked at Elena's distraught expression, her eyes welled with tears. "Aw, I'm sorry, honey."

"This is ridiculous," Elena said, wiping the first tear as it dropped, followed by many more. "You're the one that's hurt and I'm crying like it happened to me. I need to be comforting you."

"I'll get through this just like I've gotten through every fucked up thing in my life," Bonnie said. Elena lay down beside her and they both fell silent for a moment. "I have a question?" Bonnie started again. "Did we jump Rebekah last night?"

Elena laughed out loud. "I think we did and I'm not sure how that happened."

"You're always trying to protect me," Bonnie recalled with a chuckle. "Like in high school when that cheerleader from Richmond tried to pick a fight with me. Before I even had a chance to defend myself you pushed her down and told her to leave me alone."

"Yeah, I had been drinking that night too," Elena recalled. "I don't know when I'll learn that you can fight your own battles. Even at 5'2. I've seen you take down much bigger girls. And guys."

"I don't know what I would do without you and Stefan," Bonnie said, seriously. "My dad is living his life in another state with his wife and their kids. I can't even get a birthday text out of him. My mother is gone, my favorite cousin lives in Florida, Caroline moved to California and is on the verge of becoming a famous news reporter, and now Tyler is...I have my Grams, and I have you and Stefan. You guys are my family."

Elena was crying again. "Shit, I thought I was done crying," she said. "We love you, Bonnie. I've always considered you a sister. But I have to ask...where does this leave Damon?"

There was a knock at the door, interrupting the conversation, then it was being opened. Caroline stepped in looking bright and sunny in her yellow sundress, her blonde locks curled and bouncy. She didn't appear the least bit hungover, in true Caroline fashion. "Caroline!" Bonnie sat up and found it hurt to smile, but did so anyway.

"Oh my God!" Caroline's expression immediately turned to one of worry and she hurried across the room to her friend, sitting on the bed and wrapping her in a tight hug, "Your face! I can't believe he did this to you! I'm so sorry! I should've never let you get in that car with him!"

"Stop it, Care, you know this is not your fault," Bonnie stressed, pulling out of her embrace. "I was determined to get away and wasn't listening to a damn thing you and Elena were telling me."

"I know the only one responsible for Tyler's actions is Tyler, but I couldn't help feeling the same way," Elena admitted. "I should've taken the chance that you'd beat my ass too and yanked you out of that car."

"I was on ten last night but you know I'd never hurt you," Bonnie stated. "And no one could've predicted this would happen."

"If I see Tyler I swear I'll kill him," Caroline promised. "I can't believe him. I can't believe I used to consider him a friend. We need to go to the police about this, file a restraining order. Have him arrested, whatever we have to do to make sure he doesn't hurt you again. Why were you guys even fighting?"

Bonnie pointed to her neck. "He saw this and snapped."

"And that's..." Caroline's face fell. "From Damon."

Bonnie's heart dropped at her friend's forlorn expression. "I was going to tell you, Care, I just wasn't sure how and I know-"

"Bonnie, it's okay," Caroline said. "You don't owe me an explanation. What happened with Damon and I was years ago. I've long since moved on. I'm married, I'm happy. I'm just completely lost as to how you two got together. Last time I was here you guys still hated each other with a burning passion."

"I can't really tell you how it happened because I don't even know," Bonnie replied. "It just...did. It was supposed to be just a physical thing. No one was supposed to catch feelings, and it wasn't supposed to become this big, ugly thing it became."

"You've had enough hurt in your life, you don't need Damon or Tyler or Rebekah or anybody else adding anymore," Caroline said.

"I know. I need to be by myself for awhile," Bonnie decided. "No guys. Just working on myself." Her cellphone started ringing and when she picked it up her brow furrowed at the name on the caller id. "It's Carol." Caroline and Elena exchanged a confused look.

"Why would Mayor Lockwood be calling you?" Elena questioned.

"It better be to apologize for her son," Caroline said with an attitude. "Although that'll never excuse her for the monster she raised."

"Hello?" Bonnie answered the call tentatively.

"Hello Bonnie, I'm glad you answered," said Carol. "It's been awhile since we've spoken."

"With everything that's happened with Tyler and I, I didn't think we'd ever speak again," Bonnie stated.

"That's actually why I'm calling," the mayor responded. "I was hoping you would stop by today around noon. There's some things I wanted to talk with you about."

"What do we have to discuss?"

"I'd really rather discuss it in person," Carol pressed. "Please, Bonnie. I know you must be upset and angry right now. If you'll just come over so we can talk. It'll be just you and I, I promise. He won't be around."

Bonnie took a deep breath. "Fine," she agreed. "I'll be there at noon." She hung up the phone and looked at Elena and Caroline who were waiting expectantly. "She wants to meet with me."

"You're going?" Elena asked.

"I'll see what she has to say," Bonnie said. "Then I'm washing my hands of her and her son."

"We're going with you," Caroline stated, firmly. "Moral support."

Elena left the room to get ready. When Bonnie made her way downstairs, she found Stefan and Damon in the kitchen, talking in hushed tones. The conversation stopped as soon as she entered the room and Bonnie had a suspicion they had been talking about her.

"Hey, you're up," Stefan greeted. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling a lot of things," Bonnie revealed. "I'm going to meet with the mayor today."

"Why would you do that?" Damon asked in a disapproving tone.

Bonnie set her eyes on him. "She said she wants to talk, so I'm going to let her talk," she explained. "Did you put me in your bed last night?"

"You fell asleep on the couch, I wanted you to be comfortable," he explained.

"Where did you sleep?" She questioned.

"On the couch," he replied. "I didn't think you'd be okay with me sleeping in the bed with you."

"Wow, I can't believe you actually gave up your bed," Bonnie said. "What happened when you left last night?"

Damon looked to Stefan, who just raised his brow, then back to Bonnie. "I paid Tyler a visit," he told her. Her eyes dropped to his hand. His knuckles were bruised.

"You shouldn't have done that, Damon."

"He shouldn't have put his hands on you," Damon snapped.

Bonnie sighed and stepped toward him. Damon was taken aback when she wrapped her arms around him in a warm hug. "I'm glad you're okay," she said softly in his ear.

"Bonnie? Are you ready?" Caroline's voice came from the entryway. Bonnie pulled away from Damon and nodded. She started to walk away but Damon gently grabbed her hand.

"Can you come back later?" He asked, uncertainly. "So we can talk? I'll understand if you don't, but there's some things I really need to say to you." Damon's blue eyes were filled with hope as he awaited her response. She'd never seen him look so vulnerable, so unconfident that she'd come through. She didn't want to make a promise, knowing when the time came she may not want to have this conversation with him just yet.

"I'll let you know," she said, and walked away.

* * *

Bonnie had been grateful when she returned to her Grams' and found the house empty. She figured she was at the shop. She knew the pain and anger it would cause her Grams to see her in pain and she didn't want to put her through it. She showered, dressed, and hopped back into Elena's car. She rode with she and Caroline to the Lockwood mansion, and the girls stayed in the car as Bonnie went inside.

Carol greeted Bonnie warmly and showed her to her office. Bonnie sat silently in the chair across from her, declining to speak first. Carol had been the one to ask for a meeting so she had better start talking. "It's worse than I thought it would be," Carol spoke up. "But not as bad as it could've been."

Bonnie's face scrunched in disgust and disbelief. "Excuse me?"

"I didn't mean it like that," Carol corrected herself. "You know, make-up can cover that."

"I know," Bonnie said, pointedly. "I wanted you to see exactly what your son did."

Carol put her teacup down. "Bonnie, I am deeply sorry for what happened with you and Tyler," she said, keeping her bright blue eyes locked on the younger woman. "Although you could've killed my son, I understand why you did what you did."

"Your son wanted to kill me."

"I'm getting him the help that he needs," she told her. "He obviously has some deep-set issues that needs to be addressed and I'm going to make sure he never does anything like this ever again. He was way out of line in his reaction but we have to remember what set him off. Tyler loved you, Bonnie, and you hurt him by being unfaithful."

Bonnie couldn't believe her ears. "Excuse me?! You can't be unfaithful to someone you're not with!" She hissed. She read the confusion in Carol's eyes. "I don't know what he's been telling you but Tyler and I haven't been together in months."

"He told me you guys were working on things."

"He lied to you," Bonnie declared. "He's been trying to make amends but I told him over and over again we were done. It was just a few days ago I decided I could try to work on a friendship with him, but that's all it was ever going to be."

"You know Tyler could never be just friends with you. It seems like you were leading him on."

"How could I be leading him on when I plainly told him it would never be more than that," Bonnie argued. "Are you seriously trying to place blame on me for what he did?"

"No, I'm just trying to understand exactly what happened," Carol responded.

"We broke up and I tried to move on."

"To Damon Salvatore?" Carol guessed confidently. Bonnie narrowed her viridian eyes. "Him beating my son half to death in your name gave me my first clue. You know how Tyler feels about him, Bonnie, how could you?"

"He's my best friend's brother. He was being protective."

"Are you denying that something is going on between you two after you left his house with a hicky on your neck?" Carol inquired incredulously. "I can have your boyfriend-"

"He's not my boyfriend."

"I can have him thrown in jail for attacking my son the way he did," she continued.

"What about what your son did?!" Bonnie cried. "You're looking right at me, Carol. You see my face. Don't you understand? Your son hit me in my face, he kicked me while I was on the floor. He dragged me down the hall by my hair. He choked me to the point I thought I was never going to see the light of day again. He told me he was going to kill me. Are you going to have him thrown in jail as well?"

Carol sighed. "Look, Bonnie, there's something about me that Tyler doesn't even know. I was abused by his father for years. This violent streak seems to run in the Lockwood gene. I can't express how sorry I am that you had to go through this as well, and I wish this hadn't happened to you. I do understand what you're feeling right now. I learned how to deal with it for the sake of our son and the family's public image, which brings me to the second reason I called you here. Tyler is going to take some time to work on getting better. I need your help with this."

"What the hell do you want me to do?"

"I just need you to not talk."

Bonnie was sure she had to be misunderstanding her. "Excuse me?"

"I need you to keep this incident to yourself," Carol elaborated. "Cover the bruises whenever you're in public. Tell everyone you had a mutual break-up. Tyler's entire future could be ruined if this got out. I can't afford to let that happen. I'd be willing to buy your silence."

Bonnie exhaled, taking a pause before replying. "You, as a woman, just sat there and told me that your husband beat the shit out of you for years yet you have the audacity to ask me to cover for Tyler for doing the same thing?" Bonnie shook her head. "What kind of woman are you?"

"The kind who will protect her family by any means necessary," she said through pursed lips. "My son is not a monster and he is not his father. He's had one slip-up and I won't let him be destroyed because of it. I like you Bonnie, I admire your strength, but I need you to understand that I am the mayor, but I'm a mother first. We can put this entire nasty incident behind us, for your sake and ours, but you have to cooperate."

"I don't have to do anything." Bonnie stood to her feet."

"Bonnie, I need you to think long and hard about this," Carol said. "Think long and hard about Damon Salvatore and what he is to you. I can take him down for a lot of different charges. I can take him down for things he hasn't done. I can make his life miserable, and his brother's. He's a threat to my son and if I really wanted to, I could make him disappear. Is that what you want for your best friend's brother?" Carol said the last part pointedly, obviously in full belief that Damon was much more than that to her.

Bonnie was seeing Carol in a different light, her respect for the woman completely diminished. She did her best to keep her anger from boiling over. "This will be the last thing you ever ask of me," Bonnie declared in gritted teeth. "Leave Damon alone and you have my silence about this one thing, but only because I want to forget I ever knew you or your crazy ass son. You better keep him far, far away from me at all times. I don't even want him making eye contact with me if we're passing on the street. I hope he does get the help he needs, and I hope you get some help right along with him, you manipulative bitch." Bonnie turned on her heel and stormed out of the room. She showed herself out of the Lockwood mansion, in disbelief that she had once considered these people family.

* * *

The girls made a stop at the coffee shop. Bonnie had donned a pair of sunglasses, which successfully covered her eye but didn't do much for her lip or the discoloration on her left cheek. She wanted to get in and get out before she saw anyone she knew. As she was waiting at the counter for her iced latte a painfully familiar voice sounded from behind her.

"Why am I not surprised?" Bonnie, Elena, and Caroline turned to see Rebekah standing there, her small mouth turned up in disdain. "I decide to make one last stop before I leave this hell hole forever, but of course, I would run into you."

"Back off, Rebekah," Caroline said in a warning tone.

"Here's your latte, ma'am," the guy behind the counter announced. Bonnie took the drink from him.

Rebekah rolled her eyes to the ceiling. "Ugh! And of course you would be getting the same thing I always get because you want everything I have, including my boyfriend!" She cried.

"The fact that you're still calling him your boyfriend at this point proves how mentally unstable you are," Bonnie said with a disbelieving shake of her head. "I really hope you get the help you so desperately need, but I'm not wasting anymore time on you. Goodbye, Rebekah." She stepped around the blonde and started to head toward the door.

"Well, I hope your satisfied!" Rebekah threw at her. "You stole him away. You won! He's all yours. I have to go home without him, and sleep alone every night knowing that he's here with you." Bonnie exhaled and turned back to her.

"None of us won, Rebekah," she said. "Nothing that took place last night can be considered winning. I'm moving on from Damon, from you, and all the drama in my life and the people who cause it. You need to do the same." She started away again but Rebekah wasn't satisfied. She wanted to provoke Bonnie, get a reaction out of her, anger her the way she was angry. She could throw out that she and Damon had slept together two days ago but she didn't think that would be enough. The fact that Bonnie had fucked Damon in the first place showed her that she didn't care about what he had going on with her, just like most sluts.

"Sorry about your face," she threw out instead. "I at least hope I taught you a lesson about fucking other people's men. Although, I'm sure you'll just play victim so Damon will feel sorry for you and sleep with you again, and I'll still be the villain."

"Please, you think you did this!" Bonnie scoffed, pointing to her face. "Were you completely drunk last night and can't remember shit, or are you just straight delusional? This came from Damon not being the only one who has to deal with a psychotic ex. You're trying to get a rise out of me which is very childish and it's not going to work. I told you I'm done with the drama and I meant it. You're not pulling me into your misery. I'm going to take the classy road and walk away from you. Have a safe flight."

Rebekah nearly stamped her foot like a child as Bonnie started to open the door. She quickly followed her. "So, Tyler beat you up for being a slut?!" She exclaimed. "I think I should have a talk with him, see if I can get him to do it again." Bonnie paused, feeling the rage boiling inside of her. She turned to face Bekah again, taking the lid off of her cup. Before she could follow through with the action, Caroline was taking the cup from her and whipping its contents at Rebekah. A collective gasp went throughout the coffee shop as she stood there in horror, dripping from head to toe in Bonnie's iced latte.

"Whoops, I guess I'm not that classy," Caroline quipped, glaring at Rebekah with murderous eyes. She didn't take her eyes off of her as she spoke to her friend. "I'm sorry about that, Bon, did you want me to get another one?"

"Nope, I'm fine," Bonnie said with a smile as Elena snickered beside her.

"Have a nice day, Bekah," Caroline said with a sweet smile as she turned on her heel and they departed from the shop, leaving the self-proclaimed villian there horrified and humiliated. Rebekah was more than ready to go home.

* * *

Damon needed to get his mind off things. He went straight for the one solution that had always helped him in forget in the past. Bourbon. Damon went to the liquor cabinet and pulled out a bottle. He had talked on the phone with his friend Ric, who had offered sound advice but that advice had included him stepping out of Bonnie's life forever and he wasn't trying to hear that.

As he popped it open he was surprised by a soft voice behind him. "You know, if you keep drinking like this you're going to end up with a bad liver." Damon turned to see Bonnie stepping out of the darkness. "I prefer a nice and healthy Damon, but if you can't do the nice you can at least attempt the healthy part."

Damon's mouth curled into a half-smile. "You came." He put down his drink, his attention focused solely on her.

"I saw Rebekah today," Bonnie revealed.

"What happened? Did she touch you?" He asked as he approached her, anger at his ex already starting to build.

"No, no one got physical," Bonnie said. "Technically. She wanted to let me know that I won and you were the prize. I had to explain to her that all three of us have lost." She sighed deeply. "We've been foolish, Damon. If we had met in a different way, as single people, we might have been able to have something beautiful, but that's not what happened. Our lives were too messy and we should've never gotten involved with each other the way did. We weren't emotionally ready for it. And after what happened last night...I don't fight over guys. That's not me. And then Tyler...I keep questioning if it was worth it. I don't need any more signs telling me that this isn't meant to be."

"Bonnie, listen, I-"

"I want to hate you," she said. "I want to hate a lot of people, but I can't. I can't waste any more energy on hate and anger. I have to cut the negativity from my life." She locked her green eyes firmly on his. "We have to let this go. We have to."

Damon shook his head. "I understand you need your space right now but don't push me away forever," Damon opposed. "I wish more than anything I can go back in time and change a lot of the shit I've done or caused to happen, but all I can do is focus on making things right, right now. I want to be a better man, Bon Bon. I want to be a better man for you, I've become better because of you. You're the only person who's been able to put a real smile on my face in years. I used to think we were destined to hate each other for life but we proved that we can be so much better than that. I know I don't deserve to have you in my life, but I want you in it more than anything. I even feel like I might need you in it to keep me from going completely crazy. You weren't just sex to me, Bonnie, you were my friend. I would even go as far as to call you my best friend. Now you're something more, and I don't want to go backward."

There was a pause then Bonnie gently placed her hand on the side of Damon's face, keeping his eyes to hers.. "I want you to become a better man, I want nothing but good things for you," she told him, softly. "I hope one day we find ourselves in a better place, and we can be friends again. I have faith that you'll find happiness." She pulled her hand away and took a step back. "Goodbye Damon." She turned on her heel and started away.

"Bonnie, wait..." She ignored him and continued on. Damon quickly followed. "Bonnie, wait! I have something to say to you!" He grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her back. Bonnie whirled around and he saw her expression had hardened.

"Don't touch me," she warned through gritted teeth. She tried to walk away again but he didn't release her.

"I just need to - hey!" He pulled her back again.

"Get off of me!" She suddenly shrieked. She was suddenly pushing at his chest and wildly struggling to get out of his grip.

"Hey!" Damon shouted over her cries as she was suddenly freaking out. "Bonnie, stop! Hey!" He took hold of both of her wrists to keep her from swinging at him.. "Look at me, Bonnie! Look! It's me! I'm not him!" She calmed at this. "I'm not him," he repeated in a softer tone. She stopped fighting him. Damon exhaled deeply and pulled her into him, wrapping his arms around her. His physicality had triggered a violent flashback and he found himself wishing he'd actually beat Tyler to death for what he'd done to this girl.

"I would never hurt you," he whispered to her. "I would never do what he did to you." Bonnie sank into his embrace and Damon leaned his head on top of hers. They stood there like that for a moment. "I won't let anyone ever hurt you again. I want to be there for you, Bon. Whenever you're ready, I'll be here for you." She stiffened again. "Bonnie..." Then she was pulling out of his arms. She ghosted from the room and Damon heard the sound of the front door slamming a moment later.

* * *

Sheila was unusually quiet as she handed Bonnie new merchandise to be placed on the top shelf. She wasn't shouting demands and being extra picky about how the items were placed like always, which Bonnie found off-putting. "Are you okay, Grams?" She finally asked as she stepped down the ladder.

"I'm just dealing with the fact that this is the last day you'll be working here," she said. "I can't believe you're leaving me."

"Oh, Grams, it's not forever," Bonnie stressed. "I'll be back."

"You don't know that," Sheila responded, somberly. "You can end up loving it there and never want to come back. Which would be great. I want you to be happy, and I realize there's nothing for you here."

"Except you," Bonnie replied with a small smile. "You know I would never just up and abandon you. Even if I decide to move permanently, I would visit every chance I could. I might even be able to convince you to move there."

Sheila scoffed at that. "Florida is not the place for me, honey," she said with a shake of the head. "I'm comfortable right here in little old Mystic Falls."

"I'm going to miss you, Grams." Bonnie's eyes started to water.

"Don't. Don't do that," Sheila demanded. "You start crying then I'll start crying and we'll both be a blubbering mess in front of customers." Bonnie laughed and embraced her grandmother. She was definitely going to miss her the most.

Bonnie had decided the best thing for her to do was to separate herself from Mystic Falls. After all the drama, the heartache, and the pain, and knowing she might have to face the people responsible every time she left the house, she needed a break. She'd spoken with her cousin, Lucy, who was running a very successful hair salon in Miami. She'd just expanded and expressed she needed help with the shop. She told Bonnie she could stay with her, and if she liked it there she'd help her look for a place of her own. The timing couldn't have been more perfect in Bonnie's eyes and she told her she'd be there as soon as she could.

Sheila had been supportive of the decision, sure that her eldest granddaughter would look out for Bonnie. As much as she would miss her, especially if Bonnie decided to stay, her burning desire to get her away from Tyler Lockwood overrode all other feelings.

Bonnie's bruises were fading, and she helped along the process with some cover-up just to avoid the questions. She hadn't come to work for a couple days for that reason. It had been almost a week since she went to the boardinghouse to talk to Damon, and jetted out of there before he could make a confession she was sure she couldn't handle at the moment. Neither had attempted contact since and she appreciated the fact he was respecting her space, but she couldn't help but miss him. Damon had become such a fixture in her life since his return to Mystic Falls. Whether they were having secret rendezvous at the Marriott or the boardinghouse whenever Stefan wasn't home, just talking on the phone or texting, bickering about what they were going to eat after a midday romp, or he happened to creep into her dreams, there wasn't a day that went by that Damon Salvatore wasn't implanted in Bonnie's head somehow. She'd spent more time with him than Stefan in the last couple months, and she wasn't sure who she was less looking forward to telling about her decision to leave.

Caroline was the only one of her friends who knew already. She was back in California, and when she called to check up on Bonnie she told her. Bonnie had a lunch planned with Elena the next day to break the news to her as well, then dinner with Stefan for the same reason. She wanted to have a proper goodbye, as she didn't know how long she'd be gone and it could end up being a very long time before she saw either of them again. She hadn't even thought about how she'd tell Damon, but she wasn't quite ready for another face-to-face with him. Not after the way she'd left him the last time.

As Bonnie was clocking out at the end of her last shift at the shop, Layla approached her. "I'm going to miss you, Bonnie," she said with a sweet smile. "You've given me a lot of advice over the past year and I've learned a lot from you. I kind look at you as a big sister now."

"Aw, that's so sweet," Bonnie said and she gave the girl a warm hug. "Hopefully you'll still be here when I come back. If not, I wish you the best of luck with everything."

"Aren't you going to Miami? Who's going to want to live in Mystic Falls after being in Miami?" Layla said half-jokingly. Bonnie chuckled. "I wish you luck too, Bon. I hope you have a good time." Bonnie had always liked Layla, even when she spoke like she didn't have a brain which was often, and left a little teary-eyed, knowing that was the least difficult goodbye she was going to have to endure.

* * *

_We only look forward with all our faith_

_Hearts broken from the start_

_With the feel we were born to a fault_

_\- Vaults_

Elena shed a tear or two, Stefan made a few jokes in a successful attempt to make Bonnie laugh. Both expressed support and sadness that she was leaving and so quickly. Stefan had lived in Florida for a short time with his uncle a few years ago and quickly found it wasn't for him. He admitted to that small part of him that was hoping Bonnie would feel the same and come home, as he couldn't really imagine not having his Bo around, but above all he was hoping she'd find happiness.

The two laughed and reminisced over the course of their meal and on the ride home. Stefan had picked her up from her Grams' house at Bonnie's request as she wanted to soak up all the time with him she could. After learning she had a flight booked to Miami the following day, he insisted on accompanying her and her Grams to the airport to see her off. They talked about their plans for the future and Stefan revealed he was positive that he wanted to marry Elena, and was planning on going ring shopping within the next couple weeks. He had been betting on Bonnie accompanying him, and her heart felt heavy at his sentiment that he was going to have to start learning how to do things without her help. She told him that she was going to be a part of the wedding planning regardless of where she lived, and that she would be at the actual wedding in the flesh, no matter what. She wouldn't miss that for the world.

He also expressed the anger he still held toward Tyler. He anticipated it would get ugly when and if he ran into him. "I'll never forget what he did to you," he told Bonnie, his jaw clenching in anger after she tried to make him promise not to do anything irrational. He wanted to make the promise to appease her but he knew once he saw that douche's face he'd want to finish what Damon had started. Bonnie wanted to end all drama with the Lockwoods once and for all so she'd never have to deal with them again. Not only that, they were a powerful family and she knew that in the long run, they could do a lot more damage to her and her loved ones than any of them could. They ended that conversation with Stefan swearing he would try to keep his distance from Tyler.

Bonnie was confused when they pulled to a stop in front of the Salvatore mansion. "I thought you were bringing me home," she said.

"I know you guys aren't in a good place right now, but he cares about you, Bonnie," Stefan told her. Of course he was talking about Damon. They had gotten this far without mentioning him, she should've known it wouldn't last the whole night. She looked into his green eyes and saw how serious he was. "He needs to hear it from you." Bonnie sighed. She knew he was right. After everything she and Damon had been through in this short amount of time, he deserved an in-person goodbye.

Bonnie sighed deeply and placed her hand on the door handle. "Are you coming in?" She asked Stefan, hopefully.

He shook his head. "Call me when you're ready, Bo, and I'll come get you and bring you home," he said. "Until then...good luck." Bonnie got out of the car and headed up the winding pathway to the grand house. She turned the knob and as usual the door was unlocked, as the brothers seemed to only bother with securing it when they were going to sleep. She heard Stefan driving away as she entered the house.

"Hello?" She announced her arrival as she walked down the hall. "Damon?" She knew he was home as his Camaro was sitting in the driveway but he wasn't responding. She came upon the main living-room where the fireplace was going and an empty glass sat on the table that Bonnie had no doubt previously held Damon's most expensive bourbon. She stepped further into the room but he was nowhere in sight.

"Bonnie?"

She turned to see him occupying the space she'd just been standing in. He looked surprised by her presence. She gave him a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Hi Damon," she said to him. "We need to talk."

* * *

**A/N: So, we're in the second half of this story and it will be going in a slightly different direction. ****I wasn't originally going to end this chapter here but it was already so long, and I already have a lot of the next chapter written because I took it out of this one. It should be up within the next week or so. Until then, please review! Reviews are love, and many of you really made me laugh with the ones you left last chapter, just to let you know. **

**Love ya'll, Bamily!**


	11. Enemy

**A/N: Finally back! Oh, how I've missed you all. I don't know if it's because it's summer and no one feels like reading/writing but there has seemed to be a decrease in updates/reviews to Bamon fics. Well, I'm still here working on my stuff and waiting for my fave writers to update their fics as well.**

**I can't stress this enough, this fic is a DRAMA so very dramatic things will happen. When I do it, I do it big, lol. So, if you hate this story and everyone in it, all I can say is thank you for stopping by, and I say that with the utmost sincerity. **

**That was obviously not for the majority of you. I've been shown such love and understanding, and I enjoy reading your reviews. You all are the reason I stay up late working on my fanfiction rather than my original stories or resting for work, lol.**

**I hope ya'll are ready for this one!**

**Song Credit: Enemy by The Weeknd**

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. They belong to The CW. No copyright infringement intended.

* * *

**11 - Enemy**

_I'd rather be your enemy_

_Than any friend you think I could be_

_-The Weeknd_

Damon remained silent, his deep blue eyes piercing into her. His expression was serious and she felt a coldness coming from him. Bonnie found herself even more nervous now that he didn't seem like he wanted to be having any talk of any kind with her.

"I actually came here to say goodbye." She took one step toward him but he didn't move and he still didn't say a word. "My cousin, Lucy, just opened another salon in Miami and she asked me to help her out. I'm leaving tomorrow, and I'm not sure how long I'm going to be gone, but I know it'll be awhile." He just stared at her. "Are you going to say anything?" He nodded. "Have a good trip." He started to turn away from her.

"Damon!" She exclaimed. He stopped and she approached him from behind. "Don't walk away. I don't want it to be like this."

"What do you want from me, Bonnie?" He questioned.

"I want you to look at me."

He slowly turned to face her. "You want to run away from your problems, fine, but I'm not going to pretend like I support it."

"Running away from my problems?" Bonnie repeated in disbelief. "I was attacked by your ex and my ex in the same night! The mayor threatened your life if I told anyone about it! Every day I step out the house it's with the knowledge that I may come face to face with Tyler or his mother. That's not something I want to deal with right now. If you want to call it running away, so be it. All my life, I've had to be strong, when my mother got sick, when my father abandoned me, when Tyler and I were having problems while living under the same roof, but now I'm tired. I'm tired, Damon, and I want a break and I should be allowed one without feeling like shit for it. I'm sorry that this break means I'm breaking away from you." He was silent for a moment. then he nodded.

"You're right," he admitted. "We both knew this day would come eventually, that you'd come to your senses and stop wasting your time with me. You deserve better than this shit-hole of a town, you deserve better than Tyler, and you deserve better than me. I hope you find what you're looking for out there."

"Damon, I've gotten to know you very well," Bonnie said. "There's a good guy in you. I've grown to care so much for you, Damon, it scares me, and I know it won't go away overnight...so I'm hoping that when this is all said and done, we can be friends."

There was a pause in the conversation as Bonnie awaited his response. Damon eyes narrowed and he shook his head. "No." The word came out firm.

Bonnie huffed. "Don't be like that."

"We skipped over the just friends stage and I don't have a need to cover it now," he snapped. "Stefan is your friend. Elena and Caroline are your friends. I've never been friend-zoned in my life and it won't be starting with you." Bonnie's expression dropped as she sensed asshole-Damon resurfacing. "If you want to leave, then leave. But don't expect us to be friends."

"Why not-"

"Because I love you!" Damon shouted, furiously. Bonnie froze. "I fucking love you and I hate that I love you and I wish I didn't! But I do. I can't just be your friend, Bonnie. Just talking to you, listening to how your life is going, you dating other guys, while I pretend I'm happy for you living your life without me? Fuck that. I'm not doing it."

"You love me?" Bonnie asked breathlessly. Damon's icy blue eyes bore into her. She started to clear the space between them and Damon reached out to grab her and aggressively pulled her into a heated kiss.

Damon brought his hands to her face as their kiss became more frantic. There was an undertone of passion and anger emanating from the both of them. Damon sucked on her bottom lip, slightly biting it as she started to turn her head. He turned her face back toward him and they continued to go at it. Damon grabbed her by the hips and lifted her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist and allowed herself to be carried away.

_I'm just trying to make you numb without a word_

_I'm just trying make you cum without a word_

_-The Weeknd_

As soon as her back hit the bed Damon was over her, devouring her. She attempted to pull up his shirt and he sat up, pulling it over his head and tossing it. Bonnie sat up as well and assisted him in getting her dress off. She snapped off her bra and discarded it immediately after. She burrowed her face into Damon's chest, planting kisses on his pecs and taking one of his nipples into her mouth. He gently gripped her neck and pushed her back down. He gave her a rough kiss before sliding down her body and taking her full breasts in his hand. A cry escaped Bonnie as he kneaded her mounds in his hands and sucked a nipple into his mouth. He licked and sucked hungrily before moving to the next one to give it equal attention. Then he was moving further down her body, kissing his way down. Everything seemed to be moving so fast to Bonnie. She sensed a desperation from Damon of wanting to experience every bit of her.

He kissed her smooth stomach then looked up at her as he hooked his fingers into her panty line. She slightly lifted her hips off the bed as he slid them off. He was in between her legs, spreading them open. He gripped her leg and slung it over his shoulder, kissing the inside of her thigh down to the spot just above her clitoris. She was quivering as she waited for his next move. She didn't have to wait long before he was licking.

"Aaah!" Bonnie moaned loudly as he burrowed his head into between her thighs, eating her like he'd been starved for months. He gripped her leg tighter and pulled her in even closer, piercing through her walls with his tongue. "Ah! Shit!" Bonnie's fingers gripped the sheets, nearly pulling them off. "Damon...aah! Daaammooonnn!"

Then he stopped. Bonnie looked at him confused as he moved from in between her legs and sat up. He snapped off his belt buckle, his eyes set intently on her the whole time, and unzipped his pants. Her eyes dropped to his manhood as he pulled it from his drawers and gripped it and she felt the sudden urge to have him in her mouth. Before he could even ask the question Bonnie was on her knees in front of him.

Damon's breath hitched at the feel of her tongue on the tip of his dick. Despite how much head she'd received over the past few months, Bonnie had had yet to put her mouth anywhere near that part of Damon. He was finally getting his just due.

Damon's mouth was open as he watched her, with eyes full of lust, lick and kiss the head. He gripped her thick, chocolate brown hair with one hand and she took him fully in her mouth. He sighed loudly as she slowly swallowed him up, inch by inch. Her lips wrapped tightly around it, she moved her mouth up his shaft, causing his eyes to roll back. His hand was weaved in her hair as she picked up the pace of her rhythm, determined to suck him dry. He closed his eyes and reveled in her surprising skills in the oral area and was convinced he couldn't love her more.

Then she stopped. He opened his eyes and looked at her, and she had a devious look in her eye. He grabbed her by the head and pulled her up, meeting her lips with his own. She was dripping for him and wanted nothing more than for him to be inside of her. Her excitement escalated as he pushed her back down. He quickly removed his pants completely.

"You're going to leave me?" He asked as he spread her legs, his tone aggressive. "Huh?! You're going to leave me?"

Bonnie gasped loudly as he made his way inside of her. The way her walls melded so perfectly to his dick. as it explored her inside, made it a struggle not to come immediately. His strokes were long and deep, driving Bonnie crazy with the waves of pleasure he was sending throughout her body. Her arms were wrapped around him, her nails digging into his skin, which he barely felt. She moved her hands to his ass and grabbed it, attempting to guide all eight and a half inches in to the hilt.

Bonnie whimpered in complaint when he suddenly pulled out of her. He palmed her ass and flipped her over in one swift movement. He started kissing her backside and she let out a small yelp when she felt his teeth clamp onto her skin. It lasted a second, then he was sitting up and entering her from the back.

"You want to leave me, Bonnie?" He was asking again as he pounded into her. A string of unintelligible responses came from Bonnie's mouth. "Say it!"

"I love you!" She shouted instead.

"You what?" She moaned loudly in reply. "Say it again!"

"Fuuuck! I love you, Damon!"

When Damon successfully wore Bonnie out, which had been the goal, he turned off the bedside lamp to allow her to rest. She turned on her side, pulled the covers up to her chin, and was drifting off. Damon's mind was ready to sleep but the rest of his body wasn't being cooperative. Bonnie hadn't been snoozing long before she felt Damon rubbing her arm. She opened her eyes when she felt his lips on her neck.

"Damon, I'm tired," she moaned as she felt his erection pressed against her.

"Then I'll be quick." He was kissing on her more fervently, and he wrapped his arms around her from behind, his hand traveling her entire body. She moaned as he squeezed her breast and dipped his hand between her legs. She had a feeling it wasn't going to be quick as he entered her from behind, keeping her locked tightly in his arms so he was in control, and they commenced into another round of intense love-making.

Damon proved how insatiable he was that night when, before she could even roll over and attempt to close her eyes again, he was pulling her into another position. It was nearing 4:00 in the morning when they finally fell asleep.

* * *

Damon woke up alone. He wasn't surprised but still couldn't help the feeling of disappointment. He checked the phone and saw it was barely 9:30 in the morning, and with the slight hope that she would be in the kitchen making herself some breakfast, and not 50,000 feet in the air, he tossed back the covers and quickly headed downstairs. Just as he hit the bottom step Stefan was coming through the front door. He looked at a bare-chested Damon knowingly.

Damon sighed. "She already left?"

Stefan nodded somewhat solemnly. "I just got back from the airport with her Grams," he responded. He saw the crestfallen look in his brother's eyes. "Damon, I really am sorry that things couldn't have turned out better for you two. I know I wasn't too keen on the idea at first, but I want both of you happy and if that had been with each other, I would've learned to accept it. Not that you've ever needed or cared about my acceptance to do anything." He clapped his older brother on the shoulder. "Who knows what the future holds, just know that she cares about you."

If anything, Damon knew he had left her with a nice parting gift the night before. Multiple mind-blowing orgasms that she would never forget.

"I don't need you to apologize to me," Damon sneered. "I got what I wanted out of her. She can do whatever the hell she wants now, I don't give a shit." He stepped past Stefan, bumping his shoulder on the way. Stefan sighed deeply. He could see through his brother like glass and that had been a load of crap. He cared, hated that he cared, but cared all the same.

* * *

Stefan and Damon decided to go out that night. They ended up in a sports bar in a neighboring town, watched a boxing match, drank, played some pool, and Stefan tried his best to make his brother laugh. He was successful, and was able to get his mind off of his woman troubles. It was still bizarre for Stefan. No woman ever had Damon so bent out of shape. Even when he and Rebekah broke up, Damon was able to hide it well, being his usual snarky, cocky self, and burying his feelings inside of the hottest chick he crossed paths with. No such thing seemed to even be on his mind this time around.

Later, after they broke their normal eating habits and indulged in some greasy, delicious fast food, Stefan reported that Elena had worked a late shift at the hospital and he was going to pick her up, so Damon asked him to drop him off at home first. Stefan was designated driver because Damon had planned to get too smashed to operate a vehicle.

He was more coherent than he'd expected to be upon returning home, so he ventured toward one of his many bourbon collections to rectify that problem. He entered the living-room and headed toward the bar but stopped mid-way. He slowly turned on his heel and confirmed his peripheral vision wasn't playing tricks on him. Tyler Lockwood was in fact sitting in the shadows in Damon's favorite armchair, holding a semiautomatic pistol in his lap. Damon froze. There was a long moment of silence.

"What the fuck are you doing?" He finally asked.

"Waiting for you," Tyler stated simply. He leaned forward in the chair and Damon was able to see his dark eyes, a purplish black ring around one, reminding Damon of his brutal attack on him. "I've been sitting here for a long time trying to figure out how I could've been so stupid."

"What are you talking about, Tyler?"

"I wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt," he said, clearly on edge. "I thought maybe, just maybe Bonnie wouldn't have gone so far as to sleep with someone she knew I hated. I would apologize, and maybe we could work on things." Damon shook his head. This kid was clearly living in delusion if he thought he had a sliver of a chance with Bonnie after what he did to her. If Tyler didn't have a gun in his hand and a wildness in his eyes Damon would clear the room and beat the shit out of him again. "I followed her last night. I followed her when she went out on that date with your annoying ass brother, and I followed her back here. And she stayed here all fucking night...with you."

"Tyler, listen-"

Tyler was suddenly out of the chair, a rage in his eyes. "How long?!" He demanded. "How long have you been fucking my girlfriend?!"

"She's not your girlfriend, man!"

"Don't fucking move." Tyler warned, now pointing the semiautomatic right at his face. Damon slowly held his hands up.

"Is this really what you want to be doing?" He asked Tyler. "Look at yourself. Look at what you're doing. This is exactly why Bonnie doesn't want shit to do with either one of us."

"So you did try to take her from me?"

"Your issue isn't with me or Bonnie, Tyler, it's with yourself-"

"Don't try to fucking psychoanalyze me, Salvatore!" Tyler screamed, moving the gun even closer to his face. Damon didn't budge, just stared him dead in the eye. "You're more fucked up than anyone, you can't tell me shit about myself!"

"Ok, you're right. And? You came here to kill me? Really? You think that's the way to solve your problems? You think that's going to win you Bonnie back."

"I could get away with it."

"And then what. I won't have Bonnie and neither will you. You abused her. You could've killed her. She won't take you back, whether I'm around or not, and you'll still be the miserable, sad ass lonely little rich boy you've always been."

"Watch your mouth, Salvatore." Tyler's finger tightened on the trigger. Damon shut his mouth because he was in no way ready to die, especially at the hands of a Lockwood. "I don't plan to live without her. I'm just making sure that when I'm gone there's no chance in hell that you, of all people, will end up with her."

Damon shook his head in disbelief. "Tyler, do you know how crazy that sounds?"

Tyler let out a groan of frustration and waved the gun away. "Fuck! What's wrong with me?!" He squeezed his watery eyes shut and pressed his hands to his head, the gun pointed at the ceiling. "I'm so fucked! I'm so fucked up!" Damon's eyes widened as he watched the mayor's son come completely unhinged in front of him, pounding his fists into his head repeatedly. Damon slowly started to step back as Tyler moved around wildly, cursing to himself.

"I can't live without her! I can't! I can't do this!" Tyler noticed Damon picking up the fire poker and he immediately aimed the gun at him again. "Didn't I tell you not to move!"

"Leave my house right now and I'll pretend this never happened."

"Put it down!" Tyler shrieked, his face beet red and his eyes filled to the rim with water. He looked insane, but Damon didn't let the fact that his heart was beating a mile a minute show on his face.

"Just leave, Tyler. Just turn around and leave."

"I said now!" The sudden sound of Damon's phone, which was sitting on the bar top, ringing distracted Tyler. Damon took the opportunity to rush at him. Tyler ducked just as Damon swung the poker at his head and he tackled him, bringing them both to the ground. Tyler punched Damon across the face but Damon threw his arms up and blocked the next blow. The gun was knocked out of Tyler's hand in the struggle. He and Damon simultaneously went for it, causing another struggle to ensue. Damon quickly gained the upper hand and grabbed it, scrambling off the floor.

"Quit trying to use this for protection," he spat, wiping away the blood trickling down the corner of his mouth. He kept the gun pointed toward the floor. "If you're going to fight me, fight me like a man. Come on Lockwood. I'll gladly stomp you into the ground again." Both men stared each other down but neither made a move. The sound of a car in the driveway interrupted the tense moment. Tyler's eyes widened when he heard voices right outside.

Stefan and Elena were walking toward the house, hand-in-hand, Elena informing her boyfriend of how long her day had been. Both stopped as the door to the boardinghouse was thrown open and a panicked and disheveled Tyler Lockwood was running out.

"Oh my God!" Elena cried.

"Hey! Hey, come back here!" Stefan shouted and immediately chased after him.

Elena looked back toward the house. "_Damon_," she whispered to herself and rushed up the porch steps. She didn't know what she would do if Damon had been hurt, and was praying she wouldn't come upon a crime scene.

"Damon! Where are you?! Damon!" She was yelling as she was moving quickly down the hall. She stopped when she came upon the living-room and saw him. He was standing there, blood on his face and a gun in his hand. Stefan was running in a second later.

"He got away," he said when he spotted Elena down the hall. "Where's Damon? Is he okay?" He stopped when he reached Elena and spotted his brother. His brow furrowed in concern. "What the hell happened?"

"We saw Tyler Lockwood running out the house, we thought he might've done something to you." Elena's voice was dripping with worry although she could see he was all right.

Damon looked to Stefan with a somber look in his eyes, and told him what was most important. "We need to start locking our doors, brother."

* * *

Carol returned home after a very long day at the office. She was starting to wonder if being a politician was worth the daily headache. The large house was dark when she entered, but didn't hold the same feeling of vast emptiness as when she usually came home late at night. She heard a light thud come from the direction of the sitting-room and her heart fluttered in panic.

She slowly stepped down the hall, trying to listen for anymore telling sounds of an intruder. "Hello!" She called out, nervously. She opened her purse and pulled out her pepper spray. "Is someone here?! I am the mayor and I can have the police here in seconds!" Her threat went unanswered and when she came upon the sitting-room she found her son in the middle of the dimly lit room, on his knees. He looked up at her, bloodied lip and tears rolling down his face.

"Tyler, oh my God..." Carol froze.

"I was going to kill myself," he sobbed. "I wanted to kill Damon, then I wanted to kill myself."

She quickly crossed the room and dropped to her knees, wrapping her arms around her son who sobbed into her bosom. She didn't need anymore evidence that he was mentally unstable and in desperate need of help. She was going to take care of this because there was no way she was going to lose him.

"It's going to get better son," she assured him, fighting back tears herself. "We'll get through this together. I promise it's going to get better."

Some time later, a calmed Tyler was sitting on the sofa and Carol brought him a glass of ice water. He had explained to her how he'd stolen his father's gun out of her room, and was planning to kill Damon, then off himself. He was tortured about what he'd done to Bonnie, about what she had done to him, and that she would possibly be with Damon and not him. He didn't think he could live with that.

"We'll be catching a flight to New York at noon tomorrow," Carol informed him as she handed him the water.

"Why New York?"

"I'm bringing you to Dr. Joseph Gordon," she explained. "He's one of the best. He came highly recommended to me when I was in a dark place, and I doubt I would've ever gotten through it if it hadn't been for him. He'll be able to determine the best course of action for you."

"When were you in a dark place?" Tyler questioned. He'd always seen the business side of his mother, the political side, the wifely side, and the motherly side, but he'd never seen a depressed or angry side. She must've put on quite the facade over the years. Carol settled down beside him, rubbing his arm in a comforting manner.

"There's a lot of things you don't know," she told him. "About your father, about our marriage. There was a history of violence and mental issues on your father's side of the family. I found myself in a situation I couldn't escape and at one point I had suicidal thoughts. I even thought about killing your father at times." That really shocked Tyler. He knew his father had been a jack ass when he wanted to, but his mother seemed to love him regardless. "I got through it, and you will too."

"I'm sorry, Mom. I had no idea."

"I know, because I didn't want you to," she replied. "In order for you to get better, Tyler, I need you to understand that you and Bonnie are over. That relationship was not healthy and needed to end. Do you understand that?"

Tyler shifted his eyes away from his mother's and looked down at the glass in his hand. "I don't know how I'm going to live the rest of my life without her."

"You have to," Carol said, sternly. "You have to stay away from her and those Salvatores. We'll purge everything that reminds you of her, even get you a new place. It's the safest option, for both of you."

Tyler nodded despondently. "I understand, Mom." She felt a sadness of her own at his obvious broken heart, and inwardly cursed that he was going through this. She had prayed relentlessly that he wouldn't turn out like this, crippled by his own mind.

"Get some rest, Tyler. We have a trip ahead of us tomorrow." She got up from the couch, ready to escort him to his old bedroom. "You're officially starting over."

* * *

_**1 Missed Call:** Bonnie.** 1 New Voicemail**_

Damon was staring at his phone, debating if he wanted to hear this message. Coincidentally, Bonnie had called during his stand-off with Tyler, causing a distraction he used to his advantage. In a sense, she may have saved his life, so he hit the button to listen to the voicemail.

"_Hi Damon_," her voice was soft, her tone a bit nervous. _"I made it to Florida. I spent all day realizing I could never get used to this humidity _(chuckles)_. I just thought I'd make a quick call before I went to bed. I know I said my goodbye last night but...I guess I just wanted to hear your voice one last time." _There was a pause._ "I understand why you said what you said. Trying to be friends wouldn't be conducive to us getting over each other, and it was selfish of me to try to keep you on the hook like that. I just hope you're not angry at me for leaving. I don't regret what happened between us last night, although it made it that much harder to leave. It reminded me of the passionate relationship we had, and of how much I'm going to fucking miss you. I'm going to miss you so much, Damon. And when we cross paths again I hope there's no animosity. We may not be friends, but I don't ever want to be your enemy again." Pause. "I have to go, I'm exhausted. I meant what I said last night Damon, it wasn't just in the moment. I love you. Goodbye, Damon."_

Damon sighed and tossed his phone aside before laying back on his bed. They used to love to hate each other, now they just plain loved each other? Did it really matter, because now she was gone, yet had failed to take all her complications with her. Damon had been prepared for another fight with Tyler since he'd never been able to take a loss, but he hadn't expected the bastard to have the balls to show up in his house. For a moment, Damon had feared Tyler might actually take his life, as he was clearly on the brink of losing it.

One thing he learned from all this, was that it was absolutely time to move on from Bonnie. One thing he knew for sure, it absolutely wasn't going to be easy.

* * *

**A/N: Bonnie, Damon, Tyler, and Rebekah are all in different parts of the country and that may be for the better. We'll see how Bonnie and Damon deal with being away from each other. See you next update!**


	12. Desperado

**A/N: I can't apologize enough for the delay on this update. I know it's been way too long but I wasn't inspired and I didn't want to put out something my heart wasn't in. But it's here now and I'm excited to have my mojo back! Thank you all for the continued reviews in my absence and letting me know you haven't forgotten about this fic! **

**Happy Reading! **

**Song Credit: Desperado by Rihanna**

Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries, only my OCs. No copyright infringement intended.

* * *

**12 - Desperado**

_There ain't nothing here for me anymore_

_But I don't want to be alone_

_\- Rihanna_

This decision was an easy one for Stefan. "This is it," he declared, confidently. "This is the one." The light caught the diamonds perfectly as the jeweler held up the ring, causing it to shine brightly and awe Stefan, someone who'd never cared much for jewelry aside from a good watch.

"She'll love it," the jeweler promised as he placed the ring in its box.

Stefan had been at this for hours, going from shop to shop trying to find the perfect ring for Elena. The price was a steep one, but he had the funds, and he knew his girl was worth it. Once he stepped outside, newly equipped with the means of a perfect proposal, he sighed heavily as a familiar face swam unwillingly into his brain.

He climbed into his car and pulled out the box again, opening it to examine the ring. He was really going to do this, and he was going to have to do it alone.

"Goddamn it, Bo," he muttered to himself as he took out his phone and snapped a picture of the impressive rock. "You were supposed to be here."

* * *

90s pop music blasted from the juke box in the Mystic Grille and the laughter of a group of dancing twenty-somethings filled the bar. The women glared, the men stared, teenagers watched awestruck. The only person not paying attention was one Damon Salvatore who was demanding the bartender bring him a full bottle. His drinking buddy huffed at his distraction.

"Damon, what the hell are you doing?" Lorenzo demanded to know.

"What the hell does it look like?" Damon snapped. "Bartender! Hellooo! I know you can hear me!"

"You're worried about the wrong things, mate," Enzo huffed. "Turn the hell around."

Damon huffed as well and swiveled in his chair. Enzo pointed out the girls. Damon immediately zeroed in on the brunette in the center of the group, dancing like she was in a music video. She was undeniably hot. Tall, slender, nicely tanned, she wore her white pants tight, and her light pink top short enough for her toned abs to peek through. And she'd had her eye on Damon since she walked into the place.

"All of that..." Enzo said in his smooth accent. "All of that is for you." Just as he said it, the girl locked eyes with Damon. She kept them on him as she rolled her hips in a sexy manner, sending every red-blooded male in the Grill's blood rushing south. Damon's eyes travelled her body and she smirked. He could see himself throwing her over the pool table and taking her from behind. Then a painfully familiar face swam into his mind unwillingly and for some reason he couldn't figure out, he felt guilty for having that thought. For just a split second, then he was cursing himself.

"She's not my type," Damon lied, turning his chair back toward the bar.

"Not your type! Damon, she's exactly your type!" Enzo cried. "What the hell is your problem?" Damon ignored him and took a drink. "You can't possibly still be thinking about that Bonnie chick." Enzo waited for a denial and when he didn't get one he shook his head in disbelief. "She left weeks ago! She's in Miami partying with Drake and you're in Mystic Falls sulking? When Damon is single he doesn't sulk, he fucks 9s and 10s. And that chick is a solid 9. Now these girls are coming over here so you better get your shit together or I'm finding a new wingman." He quickly slapped a smile on his face. "Hello, ladies."

The bar was suddenly swarmed with an army of beautiful women, ordering drinks. Their body heat and perfume enveloping Damon, Enzo, and the one other guy sitting at the bar who was quite literally drooling. Enzo was already charming the two nearest him, using his silky accented voice to his full advantage. The Hot Brunette gave the bartender her drink order and gave Damon a sly little smile. He pulled a bill from his pocket and slid it to the bartender as he returned with her drink.

"So, you're not a man of words but a man of action," HB observed as she picked up her drink. It was pink and fruity and unlike anything Damon would eve drink.

"A woman as stunning as you needs a man of action," he responded and internally cringed. That was awful. When did he get so off his game? Regardless, she smiled, showing off her perfectly aligned, pearly white teeth and he knew his waning charm was still working.

She held out her manicured hand for him to shake. "Crystal." He took it.

"Damon."

* * *

A spark of excitement had went through Stefan when his phone rang and he saw the smiling face of his best friend on the screen. His excitement was quickly dying as he realized she was bringing the conversation to a close. It had been weeks since he and Bonnie had last talked on the phone. If it wasn't for social media he wouldn't know too much about all the parties and club openings she was attending and all the high profile clients the salon was receiving, or how much business was already booming. Stefan was quickly seeing a change in Bonnie, a lot of it physical, according to Snapchat and Instagram, and he wasn't sure how he felt about it. It was apparent Lucy had gotten her hands on her little cousin and seemed to be trying to morph her into a mini version of her. Bonnie was wearing more make-up, shorter shorts, higher heels, tighter dresses, crop tops, and extensions that nearly reached her bottom. She didn't look much like Bo anymore, but a Miami party girl. She was always so busy Stefan could hardly get a text back, so he'd pretty much stopped trying, figuring she'd reach out when she was ready.

A few hours after he'd sent the picture of the ring, she'd finally picked up the phone. She was gushing with excitement, and full of apologies about their lack of communication and that she couldn't be there to help pick out the ring. She was talking so fast, trying to fill him in on everything that had been going on in her life, he could hardly get a word in edgewise but he was so happy to hear her voice he hardly cared. Then she was questioning him on everything happening in Mystic Falls, which wasn't much, and how everyone was doing. He had long ago decided that he wasn't going to tell her about the incident with Damon and Tyler. He didn't want her feeling guilty and putting a damper on her time away. As their conversation was ending, Stefan noticed she hadn't yet asked about his brother. He knew they hadn't talked at all since she left, and was sure she was dying to ask but being too stubborn.

As Damon returned home he caught the tail-end of Stefan's conversation. "It's okay, there's still more to be done," Stefan was saying as Damon walked up behind him. "It wouldn't be the same without you." Stefan turned and caught Damon lingering. "I thought you were out. No, sorry, I was talking to Damon. Okay...okay...talk to you soon. Love you too." Stefan ended the call and turned back to his brother. "Decided to cut your bro date with Enzo short?"

"Who were you talking to?" Damon questioned instead of answering.

"Bo," Stefan replied, reluctantly.

"Hm." Damon slightly nodded and fell silent, appearing thoughtful before asking, "How is she?"

"She seems to be doing well," he informed him. "Working hard, playing harder. She sounded happy."

"Hm," Damon said again. "Good for her."

Stefan nodded. "She did say how much she misses home, though. And she's upset she wasn't here to help me pick out my engagement ring for Elena."

"Wait...what?"

Stefan produced a jewelry box from his pocket and popped it open, revealing the huge glimmering rock laying on the velvet. "Wow..." Damon was momentarily at a loss for words. "Are you sure you're ready to take that step, baby brother?"

"I was ready the day I met Elena," he responded, closing the box. "Obviously, I'm going to need you to keep this between us."

"Of course. When do you plan on popping the question?"

"I'm thinking the 23rd of next month," he said. "It'll be the anniversary of our first official date. I might take her up to the Falls."

"How sweet," Damon said, sardonically. "So sweet it's almost sickening."

Stefan chuckled. "Thanks for the support." He stepped past him and headed for the stairs. Damon spoke up, stopping him in his tracks.

"Did she ask about me?"

Stefan hesitated. He was now wishing she had, just to avoid this moment.

"Who?" He looked at Damon with a fake look of curiosity He thought he had successfully distracted him from thinking about Bonnie with the engagement talk.

Damon's face hardened. "You know who."

Stefan exhaled. "No...no, she didn't." He didn't think it would do anybody any good to lie. "But we didn't talk for very long and it was mostly engagement stuff-"

"Don't," Damon said sharply. "Don't do that." There was nothing he hated more than being patronized or someone trying to mollify out of pity. He turned and headed back toward the front door, pulling out his phone to text Enzo.

Enzo was very upset with him. They'd talked to the girls at the bar for awhile, Damon and Crystal flirting heavily, Enzo working his magic with her sexy friends. Then Crystal placed her hand on Damon's arm, batted her false lashes, and made her intentions clear, and just like that Damon was over it. He suddenly stood up, said he had things to do, bid the ladies goodbye and left the bar. Crystal was left stunned and confused.

Enzo called him up as he headed home. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" He seethed. "I needed you, man! I had gotten the girls to agree to come back to my place with us but they changed their minds once you left. You just cost me a full night of sex!"

Now, Damon had had a change of heart.

His text to Enzo was to the point, _'Call up the girls. I'm coming over'_.

* * *

Bonnie was rooted to her spot after her phone call with Stefan, deep in a well of emotions. Hearing her best friend's voice had brought a smile to her face and tears to her eyes. It was incredible how much she missed him. Then hearing him casually mention his brother's name...Bonnie had done her best not to think about Damon over the past month and a half. Her life had been so hectic it should've been fairly easy. She'd never really understood how successful her cousin was before, and she'd been put to work the day after she arrived. Every night, however, when she lay her head on her pillows, bright blue eyes and a sexy smirk was all she saw once she closed her eyes. Memories of shared meals in bed, stolen kisses, petty arguments, and passionate love-making invaded her brain. She missed him, plain and simple.

The men in Miami were much different than the men in Mystic Falls. Most of the ones her age just seemed interested in hooking up, not actual dating and relationships. As much fun as she was having experiencing this lifestyle, Bonnie wasn't going to give in to the hook-up culture. She was a relationship girl and always had been. It was obvious with how badly the "sex-only" attempt with Damon had turned out that it wasn't meant for her.

Then there was Colby. He was a professional athlete and a good friend of Lucy's. A 28 year old divorcee, Colby Johnson was 6'5, lean, brown-skinned, and fine. More importantly, he had a massive crush on Bonnie. Lucy had thought it would be a good idea to get the two connected once she realized they would be in town at the same time. She didn't care much when Bonnie said a million times she wasn't interested in meeting someone new at the moment. The meeting happened, and the second Colby laid eyes on Bonnie, he liked what he saw. And he was a determined man.

She'd been asked on many dates, offered many trips on his private jet, and Bonnie had refused every single time. No one could understand why a small-town Virginia girl wasn't awed by someone of Colby's status and basically worshipping the ground he walked on. Bonnie didn't care that he had money. Damon and Tyler both came from money, and she had never been too hard up for anything herself. She knew she wasn't ready to jump into anything and Colby's reputation as a womanizer was no secret. She was protecting herself from being hurt again, and she didn't want to waste his time.

As she stood in the back room of the salon, thinking about her friends back home, Lucy's assistant, Brooklyn opened the door and stuck her head in. "Bonnie, someone's here for you." And she was gone just as quickly as she'd come.

Bonnie got her emotions in check and followed Brooklyn out onto the floor. A man of great height was having a conversation with Lucy as she worked on a client's hair. Lucy looked past him and grinned at Bonnie. He followed her gaze and when his eyes landed on Bonnie he flashed her the brightest of smiles himself. Colby.

Bonnie internally sighed as she approached them. "Hey Col," she offered him a small smile as they exchanged a friendly hug.

"Wow, you look gorgeous," he said in admiration.

"Thank you," she responded. "What brings you in today?"

Lucy snorted. "As if you don't already know."

"Shut up, Luce," Colby said coolly. "I came to personally invite you to a party." Lucy's eyebrow raised in interest. "I just bought a new house here and I'm having what you can call a...housewarming." He handed her a card with the address. "It's going to be a lot of fun."

Bonnie nodded. "Okay, thanks for the invite. I'll think about it."

"Please do. It wouldn't be the same without you." He flashed her his toothpaste commercial-worthy smile once more and turned to walk out.

"Excuse me?!" Lucy exclaimed, her hand on her hip and her neck rolling with attitude.

"Oh yeah," Colby added. "You can bring Luce...but only if you want to. See you tonight, Bon." Then he was out the door.

Lucy gave Bonnie a look of excitement. "You're going, B."

"I don't know, Luce."

"You're going." she argued. "And despite that half-assed invitation, I'm going with you and we're going to look HOT!" Bonnie couldn't help but smile at her cousin's enthusiasm, wishing she could match it. If anything, maybe partying with the Miami elite would distract her from thinking about any hot, blue-eyed, trust fund baby, lushes she may have left back home.

* * *

_Let me see that ass_

_Look at all this cash_

The Weeknd played as Enzo danced, his hand full of female. Damon was on the sofa, Crystal giving him her best fuck-me eyes as she rubbed on his chest and purred in his ear. Damon was barely there, the music and laughter just fading background noise as his mind wandered. Dark liquor and pot had played a large role in their night, Damon choosing not to indulge in the latter, but no one was sober. Enzo was most likely going to score a 2-for-1 that night. Crystal knew what she wanted, and it was Damon, all to herself.

"Let's go in the room," she whispered to him. He turned his head toward her and his heart skipped a beat. For a second he saw mocha skin and emerald eyes. He stared without blinking at a loss for words. "Damon? Did you hear me? Let's go into the bedroom."

Crystal was back, her voice shattering the illusion. "Yeah," he said, half-heartedly. The liquor was messing with his head more than usual. "Let's go." With a wide smile, Crystal grabbed him by the hand and pulled him off the couch, She was planning on rocking his world to the point he'd be chasing her 'round town and blowing up her phone for months to come. She needed this hottie on her hook.

They made their way past the young ladies Crystal referred to as her "sisters", some very intoxicated, and found their way to Enzo's bedroom. Enzo wouldn't mind, Damon was sure, he could seal the deal just as easily in the living-room.

Crystal's mouth was on Damon's as soon as they crossed the threshold into the dark room. They scrambled to shed clothes, falling on top of each other onto the bed. Damon had pulled her pink tank top down and had his hands full of C-cup breasts as she kissed him aggressively. She yanked his shirt up and kissed a trail down his chest and his abs until she reached his pants. Damon closed his eyes and mumbled something as she was undoing his belt and she instantly stopped.

"What? What did you just say?!" She snapped.

"I said get off me," Damon groaned.

"No, you called me Bonnie!" She cried in anger. "You just called me by some other bitch's name!" She was giving Damon a headache. He sat up and slid away from her, fixing his belt.

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" Crystal shouted in astonishment as he stood up and headed for the door. "You're leaving? You're such a fucking douchebag and I can't believe I wasted my time on you!"

Damon ignored her and continued on. Enzo caught a glimpse of him stumbling toward the front door. He was too distracted by the half-naked lady sucking on his neck and the fully naked lady on her knees in front of him to call out to him. Damon managed to make it to his Camaro and nearly fell into the backseat. He pulled out his cellphone to call the only woman he cared to talk to.

* * *

_If you want, we could be runaways_

_running from any sight of love_

_\- Rihanna_

Bonnie had been in a few mansions during her time in Miami but she was definitely most impressed by this one. Colby's sprawling estate read more like a museum than a home and she was surprised he would sully it with a house party. Bonnie kept herself from fangirling while spotting numerous celeb faces in the crowd. If she could manage to keep her cool around Drake, she could be chill around these people.

Colby was so distracted being the host, she'd only managed to get in a quick hello before his attention was being demanded by someone else. Lucy was spending lots of time with a particular R&amp;B singer. The two were in the corner, sitting very close and whispering to each other. Bonnie was starting to feel out of place. As much as she'd enjoyed Miami thus far, it wasn't her home. There were people who could only dream of being in her place that night, and all she could think about was the fact she would be much more comfortable and having a lot more fun if she was partying with her Mystic Falls friends. Elena would be dancing on the nearest coffee table, Stefan would be keeping everyone laughing, Matt would be waiting for Elena to turn her back to pass Jeremy a joint, and if Caroline was there, she and Bonnie would be dancing together, singing whole-heartedly along with whatever song was playing as the boys playfully booed them. If _he_ happened to be there..._him_...he would smolder at Bonnie from across the room, drink, make snide remarks the whole night, and try to get Bonnie alone the first chance he got. And she would let him.

All these scenarios were playing out in Bonnie's head as she stepped out onto the balcony. She stopped right at the railing, sipping Moscato from an expensive wineglass as she took in the view of the backyard. The place was undeniably beautiful, and the party was in full swing inside. Why couldn't she just enjoy it?

"There you are." The voice came from behind her and Bonnie turned to see Colby stepping out onto the balcony. He closed the French doors, shutting out the party noise, and approached her. "I'm glad you came, Bon."

"It's always good to see you, Col, but this...it isn't really my scene."

"You're still adjusting," he said. "I know how much of a change Miami must be for you. I know you had planned to go back home once you felt Lucy didn't need you anymore, but I think it would be in your best interest to stay."

"Colby, let's not talk about this, okay"

"What are you going back to?!" He asked. "You don't have any kids, no parents there, and you don't have a secret boyfriend waiting for you, right?"

"No...no boyfriend."

"So why go back to boring Cryptic Hills..."

"Mystic Falls!"

"...when there's nothing for you there?"

"My friends are there, my Grams," she explained. "I obviously love my cousin and it's been great being here with her but this isn't home for me."

"I used to feel that way," Colby revealed. "It won't be a place you can consider home in a month and a half."

"It's not like I'm going back tomorrow," she said. "She still wants me here. There's still so much to do. She's saying she can't find a worthy replacement for me but I think it's because she doesn't want to. She's been dropping hints that she wants me to move here permanently."

"That's because Luce is smart." Colby stepped closer to Bonnie, invading her personal space. He was so much taller than her she had to crane her neck all the way up to look at him. He softly cupped the side of her face. "You are so damn beautiful and I don't even think you know it."

"You're so sweet, Col."

"You know how I feel about you," he continued. "You're smart, you're classy, you always carry yourself like a lady and I love that. I need someone like you in my life. I can see you being my wife, the mother of my child. I can see us traveling the world, making a difference together, being so in love we don't see anybody else."

Bonnie sighed heavily. The man drove a hard bargain and most of the female population would be melting at his feet by now. "You don't want to get involved with me right now," she warned. "I'm emotionally damaged, and I can't be the woman you deserve."

"I'm a patient man." He was undeterred. "I know you just need the right man in your life to be the right woman." It fell silent for a moment as he gazed into her eyes, then he leaned down and pulled her into a soft kiss. She didn't fight it. A small part of her wanted to see if it felt right. Maybe she was being a fool agonizing over a lost love when the one for her could be right in front of her.

The sound of the French doors being thrown open and Lucy's loud voice disrupted the moment. "Hey, what ya'll-" She halted as the two jerked away from each other. "Nevermind, I'll leave you two alone."

"No, it's fine, Luce," Bonnie said quickly, stopping her cousin's return into the house. "I'm actually ready to go."

"Bonnie, you don't have to leave," Colby interjected. "I'm sorry if I crossed any lines."

"You're fine, Col," she assured him. "I had a long day and I'm tired." She turned to Lucy. "Can I have the keys to the Benz or do I need to catch an Uber?"

"You can take the car." Lucy fished they keys from her Birkin bag. "I'll catch a ride with Brooklyn if I come home tonight."

"Thank you Luce." She turned back to Colby. "And thank you." She made a swift exit.

Just as she settled into the driver's seat of Lucy's luxury vehicle, her phone rang. For the first time in a month and a half, she saw the name of the elder Salvatore brother on the Caller ID. She took a deep breath then answered the call. "Hello?"

There was a pause. "Bonnie?" Damon sounded genuinely surprised that she had picked up. Then his voice dropped to a gruff tone. "Damn you, woman."

"I know, Damon," she sighed. "I miss you too."

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading! And please, don't forget to leave a review. And a Happy Valentine's Day to you all!**


	13. Trouble

**A/N: I know...I know, I know! I am so sorry it's taken me sooo long to update! I've been wanting to so much but I've been caught up in so many things over the past few months. I have not forgotten about you guys and I hope you all haven't forgotten about this fic. I've still been doing some TVD-related things, and I would appreciate any support in my other ventures (more details and links on my profile bio).**

**Anyways, Enemy is back! I hope you all enjoy this update!**

**Song: Trainwreck - BANKS**

Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries or any of these characters except my OCs. They belong to The CW. No copyright infringement intended.

* * *

**13 - Trouble**

**_When I come through, you were dark blue_**

**_And I saved you, from your darker days_**

**_Born to, take care of you_**

**_Or I thought so baby, it was just a phase_**

**_\- BANKS_**

A drunk Damon was not a nice Damon. "Who said anything about missing you!" He snapped. Bonnie was unbothered by this. She knew immediately after the second sentence that he'd been drinking...heavily. She hoped this habit hadn't gotten any worse since she'd left.

"Damon, please, tell me you're at home."

"In my car."

"You cannot drive anywhere!" She exclaimed. She still hadn't even started up the BMW, Damon's safety now her only concern.

"Who do you think you are?"

"I'm serious, Damon, don't you dare start that car!" She cried in a panicked voice. "Where are you? I can call Stefan to come pick you up."

"I don't need you to do anything for me," he slurred. "You're not even here! What do you care?!"

"You know I care, stop it." Her tone dropped. "It may not seem like that now..."

"You think I need you, woman?" His tone was scathing. "I don't need you in my life, trying to save me, trying to change who I am. I don't need anyone." And Bonnie shut up and let him rant. She couldn't understand every word, but she got the gist. He shifted from anger about her decision to leave Mystic Falls to understanding. He went from, "I should be fucking other bitches", to "I only want you". From "this will be our last conversation" to "I need to see you again". This was so unlike Damon that Bonnie knew the liquor was the only thing bringing his emotions to the surface. He was never this vulnerable for anyone. Bonnie felt an overwhelming desire to hold him, bring him home and take care of him, nurse his inevitable headache in the morning and just be there. Nearly two months of no contact with this man, and the sound of his drunken voice cursing her out, sent those feelings rushing back tenfold.

Bonnie managed to get a location out of him as he finally started to wind down.

She sent a text to Stefan as Damon voiced his desire to be in his own bed. '_Plz pick up your brother from Enzo's. He's drunk and I don't trust he won't try to drive home_'. The response she was hoping for came through less than five minutes later, '_On the way'_. Bonnie smiled to herself. Stefan was always the one you could count on, no matter what.

"I'm not going to take up anymore of your time," Damon was saying.

"No, wait!" Bonnie exclaimed. She wanted to keep him on the phone, and off the wheel, until Stefan arrived. "It's been so long...we still have catching up to do. You can't just call me, curse me out, then hang up."

"I don't have anything else to say."

"Well, maybe I do," she said. "I want to talk."

"I don't want to talk anymore, I want to go home and pass out."

Bonnie ignored him. "Guess what! I met your celebrity crush, Jessica Alba, about a week ago. And yes, she's even prettier in real life. Of course I didn't tell her about you telling me she would be the only person you'd risk propositioning me for a three-way with..." She started rambling, not allowing him to interrupt her and try to end the conversation prematurely.

"Shit," Damon finally groaned "How could you do this to me, Bonnie?"

"It's for your own good," she assured.

"This is a betrayal like no other," he whined. "I would rather risk the road then hear this guy's mouth for the next twenty minutes." Bonnie could hear his car door being opened in the background, then Damon crying out, "Hey! Let go of me!"

"Have a good night, Damon," Bonnie said just before the line disconnected. Shaking her head, unable to fight the small smile that formed on her face, she started Lucy's car and finally started to head home.

She was halfway there when her phone rang again. Stefan's name flashed on the screen and she picked up with a smile. "Hey, best friend."

"What's up, Bo," he responded. It was nice to hear him call her that again. His voice instantly gave her a feeling of warmth, just like it always had.

"Did you manage to rein him in?" She questioned playfully.

"Yeah, there was no way in hell he wasn't getting in this car," he stated and Bonnie laughed. "He's out like a light now, drooling on the very expensive interior of my car in the backseat."

"I'm sure it's an adorable sight."

"Maybe it would be for you, it does nothing for me," Stefan quipped and Bonnie laughed again. "Thank you, Bonnie."

"Of course, Stefan. Sorry I had to make you out come out so late but there was no way I could just let him put himself in a dangerous situation."

"Not just for that," Stefan continued. "Thank you for still caring. I know you guys are in a weird space right now, but I also know he's never stopped caring for you. Damon is very good at pretending to be perfectly fine when he's not, and I know lately he's felt like no one really cares about him. I'm starting to get that the fact that I care isn't enough, he needed to know that you still did. So, thank you."

Bonnie was surprised that her eyes welled at his sentiment. When did she get so sensitive? "I never thought I could care for someone like Damon but...this wouldn't be the first time life has thrown me a curve." She sighed. "You and your brother mean so much to me. You guys are my best friends, my family. It may seem like I'm getting caught up out here but not a day goes by that I'm not missing you all, missing home. One day I will be back home, back to reality. You already know you're never shaking me, but I hope Damon will be willing to accept me back into his life as his friend, despite what he may have told me the night before I left. And despite the fact that we hadn't talked at all before tonight since then."

"And we both know Damon is good for saying things he doesn't mean," Stefan responded. "I'm sure, one day, you'll both figure out what you want from each other. Whether it's tomorrow or a year from now. Until then, be safe out there."

"I will."

"I love you Bo."

"Love you too, have a good night."

* * *

The next morning Bonnie awoke with an overwhelming wave of nausea. She made it to the bathroom just in time, emptying her stomach of it's contents into the porcelain bowl. After she flushed, she lingered over the toilet, awaiting a second physical outburst. She felt another presence above her.

"Hmm," Lucy looked down at her judgmentally, her arms crossed. "Did you come home and get into the liquor, or were you drinking more at the party than I thought?"

"I had one drink," Bonnie groaned. "I'm not hungover."

"Hmm," Lucy said again.

"What are you hmm-ing about?" Bonnie snapped in frustration. "Can you get out of my face so I can puke in peace?"

"Well, somebody woke up on the bitchy side of the bed this morning," Lucy quipped, unfazed by her cousin's rude attitude. "I'm guessing you won't be going into work today so I have to call Tiffany to open."

"No, I can go in," Bonnie stated. "Just give me a few minutes and I'll be fine."

"No," Lucy stated firmly. "You look like hell. I don't want you scaring away any of my clients. I'm calling Tiff." And she strutted away in the same dress and heels she'd worn the night before.

"Slut," Bonnie muttered.

"Heard that!" Luce shouted before Bonnie slammed the bathroom door shut.

An hour later, she was back in the bed. She hadn't puked a second time but she still felt a bit nauseous. She scrubbed her tongue and teeth with Crest and mouth wash, then flopped back onto her bed. It was just her luck she would get sick during her stay in Miami while she should've been living out each day to the fullest. Her mind was wandering as she lay in bed, bored and debating whether she should get up and go to work anyway, until her mind wandered to Damon.

Last night had been the first time they'd spoken in weeks, and he hadn't even been sober for the conversation. Hearing his voice again had stirred something up in her. A storm of memories had plagued her as she laid to rest the night before. The arguments, name-calling, and the tender moments they'd shared in private, before the complications of exes and male nurses entered the picture. The stolen kisses when no one was looking, play fights, jokey exchanges, and passionate love-making in various places. When they weren't at each other's throats, they were enjoying each other. She genuinely missed him. Trying to decipher a coherent sentence through his drunken slurs solidified that for her. She may not miss that part of Damon, drunken mean Damon, but she missed Damon.

'_I should probably call and check on him_,' she thought, although she was sure if something had gone awry during the trip getting home safely after their initial phone conversation, Stefan would have called her. '_Or maybe I could just send a text'._ She fell asleep trying to decide.

What could've been ten minutes or an hour later. Bonnie was woken again to the faint sound of rustling. She opened her eyes to see a rather tall man standing above her. Bonnie shrieked and nearly fell off the bed. The man reached out to her, stirring even more panic in her as she screamed louder and tried to scramble away from the intruder.

"Bonnie! Bonnie, calm down, it's me!" The man exclaimed in a deep, resonant voice. She relaxed long enough to meet the almond eyes of Colby.

"Oh my God, you scared the shit out of me," she groaned, taking a deep breath and sitting back on her bed.

"I'm so sorry," he said with a chuckle.

"What are you doing here?

"I called the shop for you and Tiff said you weren't feeling well so I came by to check on you," he explained. "Luce let me in. My bad for scaring you."

"Scared isn't the word," Bonnie said. "If you were a 5'2, 110lb female who woke up to a giant in her bedroom your heart would've popped out of your chest!"

"Well, I hope it helps that I brought you these." He held out a bouquet of beautiful flowers, and the fact that they were her favorite forced her to crack a smile.

"They're beautiful, Colby," she said, taking the bouquet from him. "But you shouldn't have."

"Yes, I should have." He settled down on the bed beside her, sighing deeply. "I wanted to apologize for last night. I shouldn't have kissed you without asking, and if I made you uncomfortable in anyway, I'm sorry."

"It's okay," she assured him. "I'm sure you noticed I didn't exactly fight it."

He nodded. "I did notice, but I want to make sure you don't feel like I'm pushing you too much or trying to pressure you into anything," he said. "I know you like me, Bon, I can see it in your eyes...and don't look at me like that like I'm lying or being overconfident!" Bonnie chuckled and softened her expression. "You like me but there's something holding you back. If you're not ready to date I have to respect that, but you're still not getting rid of me that easily. You're still the homie, and I'm telling you for now I'm going to fall back on pressing you for anything else. That means we can hang out without you acting weird about it or having those infamous walls up."

Bonnie nodded. "Okay, that sounds doable."

"And it also means that I can chill here with you and take care of you while you're sick."

Bonnie shook her head. "You don't need to do that."

"I want to."

"How do you even have the time?"

"I make time for my friends."

"Don't you have a game or something like that?" Bonnie inquired.

"It's off season, Bonnie."

"Well, don't you have training?"

"Yes, but not right now."

"Trust me, Col, you don't have to worry about Bon." Lucy had suddenly appeared in the frame of Bonnie's open bedroom door. "She's been taking care of herself since she came out of the womb."

Bonnie rolled her eyes at her cousin, once again, inserting herself into her business. "Why are you like this?"

"Bitch, you know you're cranky when you're sick. I'm just trying to save Col the hurt and pain of dealing with you." Bonnie couldn't really argue this, she was easily annoyed and a little mean when she was under the weather, and Colby's insistence was already working her nerves.

"So, you're just going to go off to work and leave her here to suffer alone?" Colby asked, judgmentally.

"Hell, she's grown and I have to get back to the money," Lucy quipped. "It's not my fault she can't handle her liquor."

Colby shook his head in faux disbelief. "Cold-blooded." He turned to Bonnie. "I'll check up on you later. Feel better, beautiful." He placed a chaste kiss on her forehead and got up from the bed. He towered over Lucy, who was pretty tall herself, and warned her, "Take care of your little cousin, Luce. Not everyone needs your tough love all the time."

"Whatever Ghandi, go on," she said with a smirk as he kissed her cheek and disappeared down the hall. "Feel better cuz, because I'm going to need you back in the shop." And she disappeared after Colby.

"Thanks for the concern!" Bonnie called after her before flopping back onto the bed. This definitely was not a hangover. Bonnie could drink with the best of them and that few sips of wine she'd had at the party was nothing for her. She figured she must've caught a bug and didn't think too much more about it. The rest of the day consisted of TV watching, book reading, and constant snacking. The nausea went away to be replaced by hunger. She traveled back and forth to the kitchen a lot, deciding not to question too much why she was so damn hungry.

Damon continuously crossed her mind throughout the day. She kept picking up and putting down her phone. She hadn't heard anything from him or Stefan, maybe he wasn't ready to talk to her sober yet. Lucy came home at 8pm to find her lounging on the sofa, eating ice-cream, and watching Supernatural. As Bonnie watched the Winchester brothers fighting the demon of the week, her mind once again wandered to the Salvatore brothers, who had been fighting their own demons for years.

Once Lucy had dismissed herself upstairs to her bedroom, Bonnie picked up her cell again but this time she followed through.

"Yes, I'm alive," Damon quipped in place of a greeting as he answered his phone. Bonnie couldn't help but smile.

"Who says I was calling to check on your wellbeing," she quipped back.

"Because I know you, Bon Bon," he said. "You try to act tough but you're a softie on the inside that just wants everyone to be okay."

"Whatever, Salvatore, maybe you don't know me as well as you think you do."

"You know damn well I've gotten to know you very well, over and over again," he said. suggestively. It was clear by his voice that he was sober now with a clearer mind. Bonnie sucked her teeth at his innuendo. "I'm glad you called. I don't remember exactly what I said to you last night but I know I wasn't at my prettiest, and I didn't think you would want to talk to me again anytime soon."

"You being a drunken asshole isn't new to me," Bonnie responded. "It's something we're going to have to work on."

"We?"

"Despite the fact that we haven't spoken these last weeks," she started. "And despite what you told me the night before I left, I still consider you my friend. Or at least a frenemy."

Damon cracked a smile himself. "You're an amazing woman, Bonnie Sheila Bennett."

Bonnie's brow furrowed. "I never told you my middle name."

"I told you Bon, I know you," Damon reiterated. "Regardless, I apologize for acting like a dick...again. I think the headache I woke up with this morning was my punishment."

"I didn't wake up feeling too hot myself," Bonnie shared. "I'm glad little bro came to your rescue."

"Yeah, he snatched me out the car like Superman," Damon said with irritation. "He's fucking annoying."

"I'm sure he feels the same way about you, making him get out of his bed in the middle of the night to go get you."

You called him, not me."

"I couldn't take the risk of you starting that car," Bonnie defended herself. "I care about you Damon, I need you in one piece."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why do you care?" He elaborated. "I listened to that voicemail you left me a few times after you left. You told me you loved me and I couldn't figure out why. When I first said it to you and you didn't say it back, I was pissed and I wanted to take it back. Then when you did say it I didn't get it. You're so smart. Why would you ever fall for a guy like me?"

Bonnie sighed deeply. "Love is not a thing that can be explained so simply," she told him. "We can't help it when we fall and we can't help who we fall for."

"You did the right thing," he continued. "Leaving me. Leaving all of us. After all the bullshit me, Tyler, Carol, and Rebekah threw at you, even my brother. I'm surprised you didn't drop us all sooner. All you're life you've been fucked over by the people you care about. I could've been the exception and I failed. I'm so sorry for everything that happened with us, Bonnie. After all the dirt I've pulled on so many different woman, all the hearts I've broken, the way I treated my ex at times, I don't deserve to be loved by someone as amazing as you."

"That's not true," Bonnie debated. "You deserve to be loved just like anyone else. I left because I didn't think I was the right person to give you that, especially at that time."

"So, who's the Miami tool who's filled my spot."

Bonnie chuckled. "There is no tool."

"I'm sure there's some asshole sniffing around." Damon concluded with surety. Bonnie thought of her kiss with Colby but didn't think telling Damon about the famous, filthy rich, strikingly handsome, professional athlete's crush on her during their first real conversation in months would be do any good. Instead, she deflected.

"I can only imagine the number of females throwing themselves at you mercilessly," she said. Damon noticed this but decided to let it go. For now.

"They may be there, but I'm not seeing them," he said. "I heard you've been partying like a rockstar."

"It probably seems that way but I work more than anything else," she said. "I really respect what Luce is doing out here because it's not easy running not one but two successful businesses. She likes to party too, which means she never gets any sleep. I'm always the one to leave early. I stay long enough to take pictures so I can say I was there if anyone tries to call me out, but partying every night definitely is not my thing. And you with your drunk phone calls? I forgot, who were you partying with last night? Ric?"

"Enzo."

"That's worse. Much worse," Bonnie said and Damon couldn't help but laugh. Bonnie and Enzo hadn't had too many run-ins in the past but when they did it was clear she held the same disdain for him that she had once held for Damon. Maybe because they were so much alike, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't win her over with his accent and his flirtations. Enzo's head had nearly exploded when Damon first told him about his sexual relationship with Bonnie. She was such a hard ass and seemed a bit prudish, he couldn't imagine anyone but Lockwood ever getting in her bed.

Bonnie and Damon spoke well into the night. They caught up on what the other had been doing lately, what was going on around Mystic Falls, how Elena, Matt, and Jeremy were doing. They argued about movies and music, and if the best trilogy ever made was The Lord of the Rings or Toy Story. Damon fought for Toy Story. They went back and forth, they laughed, until they were yawning, then they were both fast asleep, the sound of the other's light breathing in their ears. When Lucy came downstairs to get a glass of water from the kitchen around 4 in the morning she found her cousin sprawled out on the sofa under her blanket, fast asleep, phone still pressed to her ear. She wasn't sure who was on the other end of that phone but Bonnie had assured her she wasn't leaving behind any boyfriends in Mystic Falls, saying she and Tyler were done for good, so she assumed it must be Colby. Lucy smiled to herself at this thought. Maybe Bonnie really could be the one to tie the basketball player down for real.

* * *

When Bonnie awoke the next morning the waves of nausea hit instantly. She leaped off the couch and hurried to the bathroom, where she dry heaved over the toilet for about ten minutes. Getting real frustrated with being sick, she decided she was going to go to work, albeit a little late to give her body a chance to get in gear, and tough through the day since she hadn't actually thrown up this morning. She recalled falling asleep on the phone with Damon the night before, but by the time she'd woken the call had somehow disconnected. She wasn't sure what this meant for them. Was Damon abandoning his resistance to the friend zone? Were the officially rebuilding a relationship with each other? Bonnie wasn't sure, but couldn't deny how much she'd loved talking to him again. He had quickly slipped back into his regular habit of annoying her and disagreeing with all of her opinions on almost everything not too long into the conversation, driving her up the wall with the same old antics just like he used to, but she still couldn't help but look forward to their next conversation. Granted, that's assuming there would be a next conversation. She was still in Florida, she had made no mention of returning to Mystic Falls, and Damon might very well decide to shut her out to protect himself from a future disappointment.

Lucy was happy to see Bonnie when she came strutting through the salon doors at noon. She looked nice and refreshed, like she hadn't been feeling like shit the past couple days, and she got right to work. It was a particularly busy day and Bonnie was feeling pretty burnt out by the end of it. She couldn't wait to get home and take a bubble bath, but that bubble was burst when Lucy informed her they were closing up shop and she and their co-workers were all heading to Nubia's for dinner and she was to come along. Bonnie moaned and said she could catch them next time but Lucy insisted. Bonnie noticed she was more insistent than usual.

Bonnie didn't realize how hungry she actually was until she was at the table with the menu in front of her. The prices were high but so were her checks so Bonnie felt no two ways about ordering one of the more expensive dishes. She was just handing her menu back to the waitress when she noticed a commotion by the entrance of the restaurant. Camera flashes were going off like crazy as a posse of very tall men entered and headed right to the ladies' table. Colby was at the helm, giving Bonnie a wide Kool-aid smile. Bonnie rolled her eyes and side-eyed Lucy who was suddenly very into the drink menu although she already had a margarita in front of her. Now she felt set up, but she lost the attitude and stood up to give Colby a hug. He smelled magnificent as he wrapped her up in a warm embrace before introducing her to his boys. Colby settled down beside her and the the waitress, suddenly a lot more giddy and friendly, rushed over to take their order. It looked like it was taking all of her strength not to beg for a picture or an autograph, and Bonnie couldn't help but be a little amused by it. Colby invoked such an eager reaction out of everyone around, one that he had not gotten from Bonnie who didn't even know who he was when they first met, and now to her he wasn't a celebrity, he was Col, her Miami homeboy.

Although she was a tad annoyed because she had expected this to just be a ladies night out, everyone relaxed and ended up enjoying themselves. Bonnie was the only one at the table with a strawberry lemonade rather than an alcoholic drink, but for some reason the thought of alcohol made her stomach turn. Lucy was flirting with the same R&amp;B singer from Colby's party, it was looking like they might be spending another night together, and Colby was making Bonnie laugh so hard she had tears in her eyes. She needed the laughs more than she thought and was actually grateful he'd shown up by the end of the night.

As everyone was gathering themselves to leave, Bonnie's cell tinged with a text notification from a certain blue-eyed Italian hunk back home. _Turning up in Miami tonight ? _He questioned with the eye emoji.

_Actually about to head home to turn down. What are you doing up at this time?_

"What are you about to get into?" Colby was asking Bonnie as she hit send on her response text. "I think some of your girls are coming back to my crib. You should come."

"I'm really tired, Col, and I work in the morning."

"You're really pushing your luck now," Lucy quipped as she passed them. "I practically had to drag her here kicking and screaming."

Bonnie's phone tinged again with another text from Damon. _You know I'm a vampire. Just wishing you were here so I could suck on you...again. _Damon was officially back to his overtly sexual flirtations. Bonnie remembered that Colby was staring at her, waiting on a final answer about going to his house with everyone else. "Sorry," she apologized for her distraction.

"Who are you texting?" He inquired. "New boo? Did you meet someone richer and better-looking and that's why you're shutting me down?" He chuckled and shook his head. "Sorry, I just heard myself and realized how ridiculous that sounded. Of course you haven't met someone better-looking."

"Shut up Colby, it's one of my friends back home," she replied. "I'm not shutting you down, I just don't have the energy to stay out any later tonight. We'll hang out another time, okay."

"All right," he said with an irritated sigh. "Let me walk you to your car." They headed out the door where Bonnie was blinded by a barrage of flashing lights. She had forgotten that Colby had been spotted by paparazzi on the way in whom would surely be waiting for his exit, and he had to failed to give her a fair warning. It was quite a surreal experience just getting to her car, and Bonnie couldn't understand how he lived like this. The strangers shouting nosey questions, of course inquiring about the mysterious young lady he was with, shoving cameras in their faces, and blocking their path unapologetically. Bonnie kept her head down, and felt herself shaking a bit. Not because she was nervous, but because she was starting to get pissed. Who were these people to take her picture without her permission? Colby slung his arm around her protectively and used his other arm as a shield to shove off photographers who got too close.

"I don't know how you do this everyday," Bonnie said breathlessly as she dove into the driver's seat of her car.

"My therapist taught me how to keep my anger in check," he said with a smile although Bonnie was doubtful he was actually joking. He was leaned over blocking the paps' view of her which she was grateful for. "I am sorry about that. Next time we'll go out the back."

"Or we'll just hang out in the house because I don't know if I want to take the risk."

"Thats okay with me. In the house, on the bed, whatever."

"Colby..."

He chuckled. "My bad. I know you didn't drink tonight but still...drive safely." He gave her a soft kiss on the cheek then he was closing the car door. Bonnie headed out of the parking lot, past all the photogs still snapping away, grateful she was not a celebrity herself.

* * *

Bonnie was more than happy to sink into a warm bath that night. The lights were dimmed, Usher played softly in the background, and the water was filled with her favorite scented pink bubble bath. It had been awhile since she'd soaked like this. Life in Miami had been so hectic it was always a shower then go, but she had been determined to make the bath happen this night.

As she was enjoying the soak and the melodies of her favorite Usher album, her mind wandered as the R&amp;B singer sang of intense, passionate love-making. It had been quite awhile since Bonnie had had anything close to intensity or passion. She thought of all those nights she'd spent looking up, or down, into Damon's beautiful blue eyes, the eyes so filled with lust for her. The way the man had seemed to learn her body so well in such a short amount of time was impressive. He read her body language, knew when she wanted it gentle, and knew when she wanted it rough. The way he could make her quiver before he was even inside her, the way he could make her call out to God when he was.

Bonnie's hand was snaking under the water, in between her thighs as she recalled all of it. The quickies, the all nighters, the spontaneous sex in spontaneous places, all the dirty talk and the extended foreplay. The sex they had was simply amazing, and not easily forgotten. She closed her eyes as she started to caress herself with the image of she and Damon in his shower on a particular night after they'd argued about her texting Liam back in front of him. She'd told him she was't going get into it with him that night, she'd been in the shop and although she was dead tired had come to see him after work like he'd asked for. Stefan was out with Elena and they both wanted to take the opportunity to see each other without having to worry about tiptoeing up the stairs past Stefan's bedroom like teenagers. After shutting down his try at a fight, she'd stripped off all her clothes in front of him and proceeded to use his shower. It wasn't too long after that Damon was in the shower as well, pressing her up against the wall and sinking to his knees in front of her. She didn't question what he was doing, just allowed him to sling her leg over his shoulder and dive in with his tongue and his expertise. After she came he carried her out, placed her on the bed, and proceeded to make her come again with a much larger, much harder part of his body. It had been the perfect end to her night, and the last time they slept together before the night of goodbye sex they had a couple weeks later.

The vivid memory of that night and the intensified self-stroking was enough to bring Bonnie over the edge as she lay in that bath. It was the first time she'd touched herself in months, having lived a completely sexless existence since she and Damon's last go-round. Damn, how was he so good that just the memory of his sex was enough to get her off. Of course she wouldn't tell him that, his ego was big enough.

She lifted herself from the bath and grabbed her favorite soft terry robe off the hook and wrapped it around herself as the water drained from the tub. She went back into her room and saw that Damon had attempted to FaceTime her. She settled comfortably onto her bed and decided to hit the return call button. Soon, ocean blue eyes were peering at her suspiciously.

"Did all the partying in Miami make you forget how to text back," he asked in a playfully accusatory tone.

"I'm sorry Damon." she said. "I was going to text you back as soon as I got home and finished my bath." Despite herself, Bonnie's heart had skipped a beat seeing his face again. She'd almost forgotten how tragically handsome he was.

Damon was staring at her hard. It was almost as if he knew. Bonnie half expected the next words out of his mouth to be, "Did you just masturbate to our sex memories?".

Instead he said, "You look so damn beautiful." She felt her cheeks flush despite herself. There was no denying she had missed this man more than she let herself admit.

"I'm sitting here without an ounce of make-up on and you're telling me I'm beautiful?"

"That's when you're at your best, Bon Bon. Now drop the robe."

"Ugh, excuse you!" Bonnie scoffed and Damon flashed her his signature wicked grin.

"I'd be a fool not to ask," he said.

"That's the thing," Bonnie said. "You didn't ask. You demanded like you forgot who you were talking to."

His brow lifted. "Oh, well...will you please get rid of the robe and let me peek at some of that gorgeous cocoa skin?" His grin deepened.

"Hmm, depends." Bonnie pretended to be in deep thought. "Do you deserve a peep show?"

"I've been a good boy," he declared. "I've been so good it's sad."

"Being on your best behavior is not sad," she disputed. "It's sexy. Now, why don't you shed something?"

"Oooh." Damon wiggled his eyebrows, then straightened up in his chair and pulled his Henley off. Bonnie never had to ask him twice to strip. He now sat bare-chested, telling her it was her turn, and her eyes roamed his impeccable body, which had somehow been perfected even more since the last time she'd seen him shirtless, and she really wished she could rub her hands all over him. She teased him a bit before finally revealing a breast, and she giggled at his wide-eyed reaction. They'd sent each other nudes in the past, so this wasn't new to them, but Damon still acted like a kid in a candy store whenever she flashed him some skin.

Over the next hour, they bared more of themselves to each other and detailed exactly what they would do to the other in that moment if they were physically around each other. It felt so natural to Bonnie, like they had never even skipped a beat, that she didn't think twice of the complications it would cause if they actually were around each other and could make good on their sexual 'threats'. Bonnie felt content as they ended the video call.

They both slept well that night.

* * *

Once again, Damon consumed her thoughts, only this time it was worse. Before, if he crept into her thoughts she could just text him and he'd be right there. She no longer had that option, and she knew eventually the novelty of sexy video chats would wear off.

She and Damon had been keeping their conversations light. Small talk, some flirtations, joking on Stefan, casually insulting each other, the Bonnie and Damon usual. It seemed almost a conscious effort on both of their parts not to bring up anything too heavy, the crazy shit they'd gone through in the past, and where exactly they were heading now that they were on speaking terms again.

In between her conversations with Damon, Bonnie was finding some time to respond to Colby's texts. He sent her a lot of funny messages and memes he thought she would find hilarious, which she usually did. One night he called as she was settling into bed for the night, a time she was reserving for Damon, and they ended up chatting away once they realized they were both watching the same show. As they watched and laughed at the antics of the Lyon family on Empire they placed a bet on the character Hakeem's fate by the end of the episode. If Bonnie won, she'd get to use his Range Rover for a day. One of his many vehicles was off limits to everyone, so her other choices were the Tesla, the Bentley, or the Rolls Royce, but Bonnie favored bigger vehicles If Colby won, she'd have to come to his house and cook for him. Bonnie was no gourmet chef, but she was a woman that could appreciate a good ride, so she was hoping beyond hope Hakeem would behave in typical Hakeem fashion and win her this bet.

By the episode's end she was cheering victoriously in Colby's ear. "All right, fine," he groaned. "You can come pick up the keys tomorrow morning. I won't be home but I'll tell Rosa to let you in the house to get them."

"Rosa?"

"My cleaning lady."

"Cleaning lady?" Bonnie scoffed. "Ugh, rich people are so annoying. Do your own damn cleaning." A sentiment she'd repeated to the Salvatore brothers when she learned they'd hired a cleaning lady to maintain the boardinghouse once a week, and to Tyler before he'd left the Lockwood mansion and got a much more humble place with her. Thinking of Tyler was still painful so she quickly brought her focus back to Colby. "Don't worry, I'll take good care of her."

"You better," Colby grumbled. "Don't think just cause you fine you won't be accountable for shit. Better not be a single scratch..."

* * *

When Bonnie emerged from upstairs the next morning, dressed and ready for the day, Lucy was in the kitchen eating a piece of fruit, and wearing her gym clothes. "Good morning," she greeted Bonnie as she approached the kitchen counter to grab a peach from the fruit bowl herself.

"Morning."

"How are you feeling?" She questioned. "I heard you in the bathroom earlier."

Bonnie huffed. "I'm fine, Lucy. I'm heading out, I'll see you later." She started toward the door.

"Who is he?" Lucy asked loudly with her arms crossed and a look of disapproval. Bonnie stopped in her tracks and exhaled.

"Who's who?"

"The man who did this to you?"

"What are you rambling on about, Luce?" She turned back to face her cousin.

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Bon, let's not play the denial game. I think it's pretty clear by this point you're-"

"Don't!" Bonnie hissed with a look of warning. "I know what you're thinking. Don't go there." She realized how her stance had stiffened defensively and relaxed her body. "I'm just a little sick. It'll pass."

Lucy shook her head in disapproval. "You can't just wish these things away, trust me."

Bonnie shook her head in frustration. "I have things to do, unless you'd like me to stick around so you can keep plan butting into my business?"

"Fine." Lucy threw her hands up in defeat. "But if you're really sick, you should go to the doctor. Figure out the best way to handle it."

"Ok, Luce, thanks."

"Where are you going, anyway?"

"Colby's."

"Oh, that's interesting." Lucy's eyes lit up with possibility.

"Not that interesting," Bonnie rebuffed. "He won't even be there. I'm just picking up the keys to the Range. He lost a bet so I get one of his cars for a day."

"You guys are so cute it's annoying," Luce joked. "Just think of the beautiful chocolate babies you guys would've had together. But..." Her eyes traveled down to Bonnie's stomach.

"Bye Lucy," she quickly went for the door.

"You should tell him, Bon, before he gets anymore invested!"

* * *

Colby's house appeared even more massive in the daytime without the overcrowding of partygoers. His cleaning lady, Rosa, didn't speak much English but seemed to know exactly who she was. Bonnie admired the home as she followed Colby's directions to locating the key. There was a sticky note attached to them, _Take good care of her_. She planned to.

The car was a beauty, and Bonnie sank comfortably into the driver's seat. It was a lot of car for her but she handled it with ease. She could get used to this, but thought it best that she didn't.

She hit up the boulevard, did some shopping. Drew stares as she climbed in and out of the whip that cost more than some people's houses. She'd always lived a humble lifestyle, so it was kind of cool to experience a little bit of flashiness for a day. As she headed toward one of her favorite Mexican restaurants to pick up some food to go, she imagined Colby in the passenger seat, flashing his pearly whites and joking around like he always did.

One thing that couldn't be denied about Colby was his magnetic personality. He was a lot of fun to be around, when he wasn't hitting on her, and although he seeped with confidence, he didn't carry that god-like arrogance most would expect from an athlete of his caliber. If they had met at a different point in her life, maybe a couple years down the road, when she'd really had a chance to be alone and no Mystic Falls hotties were dominating her every thought, she could've entertained the idea of being with him. Maybe he would've been the one to marry her and give her those gorgeous babies Lucy spoke of.

Bonnie didn't even realize she was smiling at the fantasy until loud honking snapped her out of her reverie. She looked in her rearview mirror to see a young woman in a Lexus practically riding the bumper. The last thing Bonnie needed was a random chick causing any damage to this car. She did not have the cash to just drop to pay for it.

The woman was gesturing wildly and seemed to be shouting at Bonnie to pull over. Bonnie didn't recognize her at all and she didn't seem like someone she would want to pull over and attempt to get to know. So, rather than pull over, she sped off soon as the light turned green. Her bumper buddy sped up as well, and was right on her ass again, screaming even more loudly. Bonnie could practically hear the obscenities pouring from her mouth. It was clear if Bonnie didn't pull over, she was going to literally ride her bumper all over town.

Now thoroughly pissed off, Bonnie pulled into the parking lot of a nearby Dunkin Donuts. She didn't know this bitch from Eve, and had not a clue what her beef was, but homegirl was surely going to get a piece of her mind. Bonnie put the Range Rover in park and she and the stranger jumped out of their respective vehicles at the same time.

"What the hell is your problem?" Bonnie exclaimed angrily.

The woman, who was probably quite pretty yet it was hard to tell in the moment with her face screwed up in fury, started shouting in Spanish which irritated Bonnie more.

"I don't know what the hell you're saying!" Bonnie cried. "Tell me in English why the fuck you're tailing my car!"

"Your car?! Your car bitch!" She shrieked, arms flailing wildly. "You're just another whore he's allowing to think is special. You're just another name on the list hoe, and he's going to have another bitch riding in the Range next week!"

"I have no idea what the fuck you're talking about, psycho!"

"Hey!" A man who was just coming out of the Dunkin Donuts approached them. They were attracting a lot of attention but the aggressor didn't care. "Everything all right over here?!"

"Don't try to play me like I'm stupid." The girl ignored his presence, her face red with anger as she jabbed her finger in the air at Bonnie. "You think I don't know my baby daddy's car when I see it?"

Bonnie was taken aback. She then looked into the girl's car and saw the toddler strapped into a car seat in the back, a pretty little girl who was peering out at them with wide, almond eyes. "Colby's your child's father?"

"As if you didn't know," she said with a roll of her neck. "You feel real important riding around in his Range, don't you? You feel good trying to take a man from his family."

"I'm not trying to take anyone! Me and Colby are just friends!"

"Friends?! You think I haven't heard that one before, bitch!" Her anger had boiled over and she was coming at Bonnie.

The man managed to step in front of Bonnie just as she side stepped the blow, causing the girl to miss. A stab of fear spiked through Bonnie's heart, but not because she was scared of the girl or of a physical altercation occurring. She was suddenly afraid of the harm it could cause to another life-form.

The realization of this possibility suddenly hit Bonnie like a ton of bricks. She quickly climbed back into the truck, pulling off and leaving Colby's enraged baby mama in the rearview mirror, fading away. There could be no more denying of possibilities at this point. Bonnie had to know for sure, and she was soon to find out as she headed to the nearest drug store.

* * *

**_Shut down by a guy I never wanted to kiss_**

**_Not gonna hear the singing of his ringing triumphing_**

**_And I'm chugging along in a train_**

**_And I'm heading the wrong way, and I'm a trainwreck_**

**_\- BANKS_**

The sound of Eminem's 'Won't Back Down' blared from the Salvatores' sound system as Damon used the family room as his own personal gym. He was working up a sweat as he finished another set of push-ups, a habit he'd taken up more vigorously. With the lack of regular sex and an increase of drinking alcohol, Damon had been hitting the gym harder than ever before. He already had a body fit for the gods, but now he was growing even more broad, muscles bulged more, the lines of his abs still hardening. The people around him had even noticed his bigger size, Elena and Stefan commenting on it at different times.

He was so pumped and the music was so loud he didn't even hear his phone ringing off the hook. When he finally took a water break he checked the cell and saw three missed calls from Bonnie. He instantly know something was up. Bonnie was not a multi-caller, not even a double-caller. He hit the pause button on '_Recovery'_ and quickly dialed her back.

She picked up on the second ring. "Shit, I'm going crazy over here and you don't want to answer your phone?"

"I didn't hear it," Damon explained. "What's up? Are you okay?"

"I'm a lot of things right now, including mentally freaking the fuck out," she said. "I don't know how to say this so I'm just going to take the Damon approach and be straight up. I'm looking at three different pregnancy tests right now, and they're all positive."

Damon felt his heart drop into his stomach. She couldn't be...He couldn't even fix his mouth to respond properly.

"Hellooo!" An impatient Bonnie called from the other end.

"I'm here," Damon said in a gruff tone. "What are you saying to me, Bonnie?"

"I'm saying...I've been having symptoms all week, since the night after we started talking again, actually," she elaborated. "I have a doctor's appointment in the morning to confirm, but I'm 98% sure I'm pregnant."

Damon felt like he'd been gut-punched, crotch-kicked, and head-slammed all at the same time. He'd had a lot of woman tell him a lot of things, but none had ever told him this. He had no words. He literally stood there, mouth agape, blue eyes wide in horror at a complete loss. Bonnie felt a rage growing inside of her with each grueling second that passed and he said nothing.

"Damon I need you to say something right now," she declared through gritted teeth.

"Is it...are you...is it..."

"If you dare fix your mouth to ask me if it's yours, so help me God! I will fly back to Mystic Falls with the sole purpose of kicking your ass!"

"Shit..." Damon was sweating again, and it wasn't from the work-out. "Maybe you're not. False positives happen all the time. You haven't been to the doctor yet."

Bonnie felt a twinge of disappointment at the hope in his voice at this prospect. She was in no way wanting or ready to be pregnant at this time, and had been desperately praying for a negative while taking the tests, but for some reason with Damon saying this to her, like he wanted more than anything for it to not be true, hurt. "But what if I am?" She questioned.

He sighed deeply. "I can't really wrap my head around this right now, Bonnie...I'm sorry."

"Don't be," she said, her voice now dripping with the disappointment she was feeling. "I shouldn't have been so stupid, now I'm the one that's sorry." And her eyes welled with tears as she hung up the phone.

* * *

**A/N: Damon and Bonnie are back to their ways. **

**Thank you so much to any and everyone who has returned to Enemy or is checking this out for the first time. Every review is greatly appreciated. Until next time...**


	14. Liability

**A/N: Two updates to two stories in a row, been a long time since I've done that. Hope my Bonnie/Bamon fans are still around although the show is over. We have to keep them alive through fanfic. Happy reading and don't forget to leave a review! **

**Song Credit: Liability by Raleigh Ritchie**

Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries, it belongs to The CW. This is for entertainment purposes only. No copyright infringement intended.

* * *

**14 - Liability **

**_Maybe I don't want to be with nobody, maybe it's you_**

**_Maybe I don_**_'_**_t_** **_wanna go, maybe I don_**_'_**_t wanna grow." _**

**_\- Raleigh Ritchie_**

Stefan was all smiles and laughs when he and Elena stepped into the boarding-house. They had been having a nice day together so far and had some more things planned for each other. Stefan's smile evaporated the moment he laid eyes on Damon. He had seen that look on his face before. Damon wore that look the first time he learned his mother had cancer, when he realized he was in a committed relationship with Rebekah before he was ready to be committed, and when Rebekah found out he'd cheated on her. He was distraught, and Stefan immediately became concerned.

"Damon, what's wrong?" He questioned with his signature furrowed brow, approaching him.

"I'll be in the kitchen," Elena informed him and dismissed herself to leave the brothers to have a private conversation.

"What's going on?" Stefan asked again.

"Bonnie is pregnant," Damon revealed. "She hasn't been to a doctor yet, but she's pretty sure."

Stefan's eyes widened to the size of saucers. "What?! Well, you gotta fly her back home, ASAP."

"Not happening brother," Damon countered quickly. "She kind of hates my guts now, so we're back to the status quo."

Stefan sighed, already prepared to be annoyed. "What did you say to her, Damon?"

Damon glared at him. "I didn't say anything," he snapped.

"What do you mean you didn't say anything?" Stefan asked, incredulously. "Bonnie Bennett, the girl who has always been the bane of your existence, calls you and tells you she's pregnant with your child, and you have nothing to say?"

"I don't need you telling me how much of an asshole I am, I'm well aware," Damon sniped, sinking onto the settee. "I don't want this, Stefan. I never wanted this. I don't like kids. I didn't even like kids when I was one."

Stefan sighed and settled down beside him. "Life doesn't always wait for you to be ready, we both know this more than anyone," he said. "Sometimes, you have to be a man and get ready." Damon huffed. "Bonnie didn't create this situation on her own, man. She's probably panicking, stressed, and hurt now that you didn't offer any kind of comfort or assurance. I understand you might need a minute to digest this, but you need to call her and be there for her."

"So, I'm supposed to just immediately transform into Dad of the Year."

"No, but you can be a friend." Stefan took in his crestfallen expression. "Relax, it's a baby not a death sentence. How about we go for a drink? And then you call her. Bonnie is still my best friend and I'll be forced to kick your ass if you don't do right by her. Okay?" Damon cracked a half smile. "Come on, let's go." He stood, guiding Damon up by the shoulder along with him. He called Elena's name as they stepped out into the hall and she emerged from the kitchen. "We're going to head out for a quick drink. You okay with hanging out here until I get back?"

"You're leaving! But we were supposed to-" Elena noticed Damon's distress and stopped. "All right, fine. I'll see you when you get home." She gave him a kiss and the brothers headed out the door.

Elena headed up to Stefan's room and decided to give her good friend Bonnie a call. She didn't know why, but seeing Damon gave her a nervous feeling that something was up with Bonnie, and she wanted to check on her and let her know she was there if she needed her.

* * *

Bonnie ignored the buzzing and flashing of her phone as she laid on her bed, the tears that had previously streamed down her cheek now dried She wanted to talk to Elena, but now was not the time. She needed to get her head together before she spoke to anyone. Bonnie was annoyed with herself for getting emotional after talking with Damon. She had convinced herself she was prepared for the worst when calling him, but she could not fight the little feeling that hoped he would be reassuring, tell her everything would be okay, and he would be there for her no matter what she decided. The men in her life had been consistently disappointing her from the beginning, she couldn't understand why she thought Damon Salvatore, of all people, would be any different. She chalked the tears up to the pregnancy hormones, and the fact that she was indeed pregnant still shook her to her core.

As she lay in bed, she felt a presence, then the blanket was being lifted and a warm body was sliding onto the mattress beside her. "Not now, Lucy," she said without turning. "I want to be alone."

"Is that really what you want?" Her cousin placed a soft manicured hand on her shoulder. Bonnie didn't answer the question. "I know it may seem like the worst thing that could happen right now, but this can also be a blessing. Anything you need, I'm here for you. I can help you get through this."

Bonnie wiped her eyes. "Thank you, Luce."

"Kind of exciting," she continued with a soft smile. "I'm going to have a little cousin running around, a mini you."

"Oh god," Bonnie chuckled through her tears.

"Seriously, it's been way too long since there's been a baby Bennett and Lord knows I'm not going to be providing one," she said. "I'll tell you one thing, this baby is going to be so loved...and spoiled by his favorite big cousin, Luce."

"His?"

'Oh yeah, I'm definitely betting on a little man."

Bonnie turned on her back. "You're thinking too far ahead, I'm trying to get through today," she said with a heavy sigh. "I'm still trying to find myself. I was still trying to decide if I wanted to live out my twenties in Miami, living to the fullest and experiencing things I never could in Mystic Falls, maybe do some traveling. Or if I wanted to go back home. Buy a house of my own, without having to rely on assistance from Tyler or anyone else, take over the shop which is what I know Grams wants. This...this changes everything. I'm not ready to be a mother, Lucy. I'm just not."

"Bonnie, you have options," she reminded her. "Don't feel like you have to do anything you don't want to do."

"I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who doesn't want this."

"I'm guessing you already told the father," Lucy said. "How did Tyler take it?"

Bonnie shook her head. "Tyler's not the father."

"Really? You mean, you've actually had sex with someone else?"

Bonnie huffed. "It's Damon. Damon Salvatore."

"Salvatore?" Lucy's brow furrowed. "As in, Stefan Salvatore? As in your best friend's brother?" Bonnie nodded. "As in the hot, older one with the blue eyes that I danced with at your twenty-first birthday party?" Bonnie nodded again. "As in the guy you always told me you hated?!"

"Yes Lucy, that would be the one."

"Wow," Lucy's mouth was agape in shock. "I can't believe you never told me you were doing him! How many times have I asked what you were up to since you and Tyler broke up and you never thought to mention that?!"

"Well, me and him had kind of...ended things right before I came out here. He didn't really want me to come."

"Were guys in an actual relationship?"

"No," Bonnie said quickly. "We both came out of long-term relationships at the same time and we were both hurting. We turned to each other for comfort, fully aware that it was only supposed to be a rebound, no feelings involved."

"And of course it didn't happen like that."

"We got to know each other, still drove each other crazy," she explained. "But we connected, I started to care for him. We became great friends."

"Great friends with even greater benefits apparently," Lucy joked. "What did he say when you told him you were pregnant?"

"He said...nothing," she replied, somberly. "But he managed to make it clear that he's not on board."

"What?!" Lucy exclaimed. "What a time for him to be an asshole! He did this to you, Bonnie, the least he could be doing right now is talking to you on the phone, trying to help you get through this as best he can."

"Why should he waste his time lying to me?" Bonnie got up from the bed and started toward the door with a sudden need to go to the bathroom and relieve herself. Lucy quickly jumped up as well.

"You won't be alone with this," she promised. "I'm here for you. Alicia has about fifty kids of her own and she's a great mother, I know she'll be happy to answer any questions you have. You can still stay in Miami, work in the salon. I'll put you at the front desk, keep you off your feet during the pregnancy. I'll even stop charging you rent so you can save and get your own spot out here. We can fly Grams out, I know she'll be kicking and screaming the whole way but there's no way she won't be involved in her great grandchild's life. You can do this without Damon."

"I know I can," she responded. "The question is if I want to do this at all." She dismissed herself into the bathroom, shutting the door on her cousin.

* * *

"So you knocked up the little nag, eh?" The judgment was dripping in Enzo's tone. He took the two shots he ordered from the bartender and slid one to Damon. "Cheers to you being the dumbest son of a bitch alive." Both men threw back the shots, determined to catch a buzz. Damon hadn't been saying much since telling Enzo his ordeal, and his mopey silence was really starting to bug the Brit.

"What are you so down about anyway?" He questioned. "Everyone knows Damon Salvatore isn't meant to play the Daddy role. If she keeps this baby she'll be a damn fool."

"What are you suggesting?" Damon inquired with a furrowed brow.

"Send her the money to take care of the problem," he said. "Maybe a little extra for some incentive. Just free her from the misery of being stuck with you for the next eighteen years. You know you won't make a good father, you're a hardly a good boyfriend, and you damn sure aren't going to marry her. You'd be doing the girl a favor."

"And if that's not what she wants?"

"She may not need as much convincing as you think."

"And then what?" Damon continued. "She ends up hating my guts even more and we never speak again?"

"Then you'll find someone else." Enzo said in an exasperated tone. "What is your deal with this girl? You're not in love with her, are you?" Damon didn't respond, just sipped the bourbon he'd been neglecting since they'd starting taking shots. Enzo's eyes widened in disbelief. "What?! Seriously, with Bonnie Bennett? Is that why you had unprotected sex with her? She's so good you wanted to lock it down forever?"

Damon's face scrunched. "Fuck you."

"Listen, mate, you really may be distressing yourself over nothing," Enzo went on. "What if this little miracle is someone else's problem?"

"No," Damon stated surely with a shake of the head. "I was the only one she was with after she broke up with Tyler, I'm sure of it."

"How can you be so sure?" Enzo questioned. "And how about after she moved to Miami? I would bet money that basketball player has had his fun with her?"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Geesh, you really are clueless." Enzo pulled out his phone as Damon's blue eyes narrowed suspiciously, then his friend was placing the phone down on the bar top, his web browser opened to an article on TMZ. The pictures told everything he needed to know. There was Bonnie, looking as gorgeous as ever, exiting some fancy schmancy restaurant with one of the most notable faces in sports. Damon studied the photo for a moment, his blue eyes blazing, before huffing and down the rest of his drink.

"That means nothing to me," he declared before nearly slamming his tumbler down.

"Damon...come on."

"You don't know shit about Bonnie," he snapped. "She makes a lot of friends but she wouldn't have started hooking up with someone else that quickly."

"Why not, she started hooking up with you right after she broke up with Tyler, right?" he threw back.

Damon stood up and grabbed his jacket. "I'm going home."

"You can't be...who are you, man?!" Enzo cried. "What happened to Damon fucking Salvatore? This girl has completely ruined everything that was cool about you. She's worse than that damn Rebekah!" Damon ignored his friend as he stalked toward the door. Maybe he was right, but Damon didn't care. He was tired of burying his feelings. And he knew in his heart, whether he liked it or not, that baby was his.

* * *

Lucy and Bonnie both stayed in that night. Lucy cooked and they shared a meal and watched a couple of movies together. There was a knock on the door as they indulged on Lucy's tasty stem. She got up and skipped to the door as Bonnie continued to devour the food. Increased hunger had definitely seemed to kick in more since she discovered she was pregnant.

A moment after Lucy opened the door Bonnie heard her utter, "Oh hell no."

"Everything okay, Luce?" She questioned, getting up from the table, then she saw Colby walking in, a huge bouquet of flowers in his hand.

"Bonnie, listen to me..."

"I've suddenly lost my appetite," she declared and started away.

"Wait!" He quickly went after her. "I should've told you about Rosa, I'm sorry!"

"You know what, Colby," she whirled around to face him. "You can have as many babies with as many mamas as you want, that's not my business. Just don't put me in a dangerous situation when you know these women are crazy! You should have warned me!"

"You're right, I should have," he concurred. "Me and Rosa haven't been together in so long I really thought she was past the antics. It won't happen again, I promise. Don't tell me that we can't kick it anymore because of this."

Bonnie sighed deeply. "Look, I like you, Colby," she started. "You're a fun person and you're cool as shit, but we would never work. We're too different. I'm a small town girl, from a small family, and I'm proud of that. The paparazzi, the constant spending and partying, and all the baby mothers, it's just not for me. I'm sorry." Colby's shoulders slumped in disappointment and Bonnie felt a little bad. "Trust me, Col, I have baggage of my own that you do not need added onto your plate. There's is some very lucky lady, who is very capable of handling the spotlight, that is ready for you to sweep her off her feet."

"All right, I understand," he said with a solemn nod. "Can you at least take the flowers?" Bonnie hesitated. "Come on, you've bruised my ego enough today, it's the least you can do so I don't leave out of here a complete reject." The sound of Lucy snorting behind them caused Bonnie to hush her nosey cousin, who had lingered in the foyer to listen to their conversation.

"Thank you, Col," she said, taking the large bouquet. "They're beautiful."

"Thank you for keeping it real with me." He wrapped her up in a warm hug, placing a chaste kiss on her cheek as he pulled away. "I wish you the best of luck in everything, Bonnie. I still hope to see you around." He turned and started away, playfully pushing Lucy as he passed her. "Bye, bighead."

"Bye!" She called back with a flippant wave of the hand. "And you can tell all of your baby mamas if they come for my cousin again _I'll_ be coming to see them!" Colby loudly told her to shut up as he closed the door behind him. Lucy turned back to Bonnie. "Feel better?"

"Well, that's one thing off my shoulders," she said. "Now, I just have to figure out how to deal with my other 98 problems."

* * *

**_"I'm not sober, I'm not broken_**

**_I'm not eager, It's not over."_**

**_\- Raleigh Ritchie_**

_Damon was never the guy who wanted to look deeply into a girl's eyes, get to know who she really was, or take the time to have a real conversation after they'd already reached the peak of intimacy. The same could not be said for Bonnie Bennett as she lay on his bed, facing him, her eyes lit up with laughter as her mouth spread into a smile and a genuine laugh escaped her. She used to roll her eyes at Damon's smart alecky quips, now she thoroughly enjoyed them. She was just beneath his Egyptian cotton sheets, in nothing but her undergarments, yet Damon still was locked onto her beautiful viridian eyes, enjoying the sight of her smiling so warmly, and basking in the fact that he had been the one to make that happen._

_ "Why are you looking at me like that, Salvatore?" She finally questioned, the smile still lingering on her lips._

_ "Because you're so goddamn beautiful," he replied truthfully. "Can't I just appreciate that for a moment."_

_ "Careful, Damon, that almost sounded like a compliment that wasn't back-handed," she teased. "You're not getting soft on me, are you?" She started to get up._

_ "Where are you going?" Damon asked, quickly reaching out in protest._

_ "Home," she said in a 'duh' tone. "I'm not supposed to be spending the night over here, remember?"_

_ "I never created that rule."_

_ "You agreed to it when we first started planning these little...excursions," she reminded him. "Yet somehow you've managed to trick me into staying over two nights in a row."_

_ "There's no trickery, not my fault amazing sex clouds your judgment."_

_ Bonnie rolled her eyes. "Don't flatter yourself." She got up from the bed and scooped her shirt up from the floor. Damon had no qualms about openly checking her out as she started to dress._

_ "You're breaking my heart."_

_ "What more could you possibly want right now?" She inquired. "We went at it all last night and this morning. I admit it, I concede, I'm tired." Damon grinned as she leaned over the bed and gave him a peck on the lips. _

_ "Are you hungry?" He asked. "We can make a pancake run."_

_ "You know I'm a french toast girl," she responded. "Plus, I need to get home before Grams wakes up. She thinks I'm still at home and I don't want her to catch me coming in and start asking questions. And Stefan could be home from his overnight shift at any minute and we both know how much harder it is to sneak out with him wandering around the mansion." Damon got up from the bed himself and made his way to the door, effectively blocking her exit. "What are you doing?"_

_ "When am I going to see you again?"_

_ "I don't know, I have plans with Matt and Elena tonight and I'm staying late at the shop tomorrow so..."_

_ "So, what?"_

_ "So, I don't know Damon."_

_ "This Friday, I'll get a suite at the Marriott," he suggested. "We can spend the weekend breaking in the hot tub, the bed, and the shower. Maybe even the elevator if you're feeling a little adventurous."_

_ "I can't, I'm driving up to Richmond this Friday with Stefan," she declared. Damon huffed. "Don't be salty. I already blew off movie night with Matt last night to be with you, I can't keep breaking plans with my friends or they'll get suspicious."_

_ "Fine, whatever." He stepped aside and freed her way to the door. "Have fun with your friends."_

_ She sighed and stepped closer to him, wrapping her arm around his shoulder and bringing him in seductively. "How about this?" She said in a suggestive tone. "I take Monday off and come here. Stefan will be out all day, and it will just be us two, no shirt or pants, the entire time, and we break in everything we can. Hmm?"_

_ Damon couldn't help but smile at this prospect. "How the hell could I say no to that?" And they sealed it with a kiss._

_ "You know," Bonnie started as they pulled out of this kiss, gazing into his bright blue eyes. "You're really cute when you're vying for my time."_

_ "And I don't find it cute when you make me work this hard for it," he said. "It's annoying. You're annoying."_

_ "I know," she said with a smile, giving him another kiss. Her phone tinged with a text notification. _

_ "Who's texting you at this time in the morning?" Damon asked, curiously._

_ She knew who it was but still pulled out her phone to check, responding, "One of my friends." The friend was Liam. He'd been sending her a morning text every single day since they'd exchanged numbers at the gas station. It always made Bonnie smile. _

_ "What does your friend need to tell you at 7am?"_

_ "Nosey much?" Bonnie teased. _

_ "Aren't you supposed to be leaving? Scram."_

_ "You know, you need to be nicer to me," she said as she started to open the door. "One day, I'm going to have a husband and maybe some kids, and there won't be anymore sexy, sneaky trysts. Or maybe one day I'll just come to my senses and stop wasting my time with you, whichever comes first."_

_ "Why would you waste your time getting married when you're just going to throw it all away because you won't be able to stop coming to me back for more."_

_ Bonnie rolled her eyes and repeated her earlier sentiment. "Don't flatter yourself."_

_ "I don't have to flatter myself," he said with a wicked grin. "You were doing that for me when you were calling me God last night."_

_ "Ugh, goodbye, Damon." She stepped out of the room and Damon peeked his head out and watched her walk away._

_ "Stop staring at my ass!" She called back without looking._

_ "Impossible," he said, still grinning. She disappeared down the stairs and a few moments later he heard the sound of the front door opening and closing. His smile faded as he went back into his room. Husband? Kids? She'd never mentioned those words in his presence before. He knew he wouldn't be the man to give that to her, he had no desire for those things, but the thought of another man suddenly swooping in and giving her everything she wanted, taking her companionship away from him permanently, didn't sit well with Damon._

Damon had been staring at the photo of Bonnie he had saved as her contact picture in his phone for entirely too long, that memory of one of their numerous trysts randomly plaguing his mind. He'd been trying to work up the courage to call her and face her wrath over his cowardice. It had been three days since she'd dropped a huge bomb on his life and they'd had no contact. He was absolutely positive she hated his guts with every fiber of her being at this point.

Finally, after cursing at himself internally for being such an ass about this, he hit the_ send call_ button. He wasn't sure what he was going to say, or if she would even pick up, but he knew this call was necessary to make either way.

Bonnie didn't pick up. Her cousin, Lucy, did, and Damon didn't realize her wrath could be much worse than Bonnie's. "You asshole!" Was what he heard as soon as the phone clicked.

"Hi, Lucy"

"I should come to wack ass Mystic Falls just to bust you in your mouth!" She continued. "Three days! You know my cousin is panicking and stressed out and you don't call for three fucking days! I never liked you."

"Yes, I get it. I'm an asshole." Damon agreed. "Now, can you put Bonnie on?"

"Depends," Lucy said. "Are you calling to make this better or worse?"

"What I want to say to Bonnie really isn't your business."

"It's my business now that I've been the only one here for her despite the fact that you were the one fucking her raw!"

"Lucy!" Damon's heart spiked at the sound of Bonnie's voice in the background, her tone stern.

"Do you even want to talk to him at this point?" Lucy questioned incredulously.

"She's going to have to talk to me," Damon inserted.

"Shut up, I'm asking her."

"She's going to have to talk to me or I will call her phone and your phone twenty times a day until she picks up," he threatened. "I will flood her all her social media and her inbox. I will do whatever I have to do to get her attention. It'll be a lot easier for everyone if she just talks to me now."

Lucy huffed. "Now, you want to pretend to care. Here." The next voice he heard was Bonnie's.

"Damon?"

He took a deep breath. "Bonnie...I am so sorry."

"Sorry for what, Damon?" She had an edge to her voice and he knew this was going to be a tough conversation.

"For not being here," he replied. "For not calling for days, for not saying the right thing at the right time."

"Don't be sorry, this is my fault," she said. "I brought this all on myself. I should've never started seeing you, knowing the type of guy you are. I should've been more careful with my birth control, since you had told me multiple times you didn't want kids."

"It takes two, Bonnie, you did not do this to yourself," Damon told her. "I realize that life doesn't always give you what you want when you want it. We're in it now, and we need to be there for each other. Come home."

Bonnie sighed. "I don't think that's what I want," she said. "I've been really talking to Lucy and I can make a life for myself here. Even if it's not forever, I think I can do it."

"Is staying in Miami with Lucy really conducive to raising a child?"

"_If _I raise a child."

"What?"

"I have options, Damon, and one of them doesn't involve me being a single mother with a resentful child with no father in their life."

"I'm telling you I'm going to be there."

"That's how you feel today but it wasn't how you've felt for the past three days, actually, twenty years of your life," she reminded him, the emotion starting to creep back into her voice. "How are you going to feel tomorrow, or next month, or after the baby is born and you're actually faced with the responsibility of being a father? You can change your mind at anytime and disappear. I can't trust that you won't."

"So what are you saying?"

"I'm not saying anything yet."

"Isn't this something you've always wanted?"

"Yes, I've always wanted a beautiful home, with a beautiful husband, with beautiful kids and a beautiful german shepherd running around our beautiful backyard," she concurred. "I want all that stuff at the right time, when I'm right with myself, and I'm ready for it. I don't want it with you." Damon felt like he'd been punched in the gut. "You're not husband material, Damon, you said this yourself. You've slept with every woman in town, you have mommy issues, you're mean, you're irresponsible, and you're an alcoholic. I can't even believe I thought we could actually be together at one point."

"Just come home, Bonnie," Damon repeated, somberly. "Let's talk about this here. And I want to be by your side, no matter what you choose."

No," she suddenly sounded strong again. "I don't need you. Consider yourself free of any responsibility. I'd rather cut ties now than have a regretful you cutting out of my life a year or two from now. Don't worry about me anymore, Damon. Live your life. I hope one day you find the perfect girl for you that won't ever pressure you into commitment."

"Bon, wait-"

"Goodbye, Damon." And the line went dead. Damon looked down at his iPhone in disbelief for a moment, then with a surge of anger he turned and threw the phone at his bedroom wall, feeling no remorse as it shattered on impact.

"Let me guess," he heard from behind him. "You spoke to Bonnie." Stefan was lingering in the doorframe, his arms crossed as he looked at him with concern written all over his face."

"That woman makes me angrier than anything or anyone else ever has," Damon sneered.

"I think it's safe to say the feeling is mutual." Stefan stepped into the room and approached his brother. "So, what did she say? More importantly, what did you say to her?"

"I said the right thing," he replied. "That I would be there for her, that I wanted her to come home to me so we can figure this out together."

"Did you say it because you thought it was the right thing to say or did you say it because you really meant it?" Stefan questioned. Damon looked at him with puzzlement in his ocean blue eyes. "You think she can't tell the difference?"

"What does it matter, she's officially done with me now," Damon declared.

"She can't be done with you, she's pregnant with your child."

"Well, according to her she might not be for too much longer."

Stefan shook his head. "She's bullshitting, Damon," he said very matter of fact, with seemingly no concern. "She's says things out of anger that she doesn't mean. I know for a fact she's never believed in abortion for herself and even if she did think about it, we both know she'd never go through with it. So stop standing here crying like a bitch and worrying about yourself and go really be there!"

"I'm not crying!"

"Just go to Miami, okay?" Stefan said with a huff of frustration. "It's time to show her you meant what you said."

Damon nodded. "You're right," he agreed. "But first, I need about three hundred drinks. She called me an alcoholic so why not live up to her expectations?" He started past his brother toward the door. Stefan shook his head but let him go. He would let him have this last night of being irresponsible. Starting tomorrow, Stefan would be sure that was all behind him. No more being a twenty-seven year old man-child, he was an expectant father who would take care of his responsibilities. Even if Stefan had to get on the damn plane with him.

* * *

**_"I'm not decent, I'm not evil_**

**_I'm just me, I'm sick of being a liability." _**

**_\- Raleigh Ritchie_**

It had been years since Damon had last visited Florida. It was after the last time he and Rebekah had taken an extended break from their relationship and he and Enzo decided the best place to be single was in Miami. They had a friend with a penthouse there that was happy to let them borrow it for a weekend, and they spent three wild days and nights drowning in a sea of women, booze, and the best weed in town. This visit was going to be much, much different than that.

It had also been about seven months since the last time Damon got high, flashback to a house party he and Bekah had thrown where they decided to relive their teen years, and now he was thinking he might give his old Miami buddy a call when he landed, ask him to connect him with his weedman. He could use a little buzz before facing Bonnie. He knew Stefan would admonish him for having the thought. His younger brother had been a thorn in his side for the past three days, taking it upon himself to be the ultimate fun-killer at every turn. No bourbon, no parties, no Enzo. Just Bonnie and babies, the only thing he would talk to him about. _Have you talked to Bonnie? Have you booked your flight? _Constantly, day in and day out. You would think he'd had kids himself. Save for one pregnancy scare Elena had three years ago, Stefan couldn't relate to jack-shit Damon was going through. Of course, Stefan said the same about Bonnie.

Damon was still mulling over what the first thing he would say to Bonnie would be as he packed up his last shirt. It had been over a month since he'd laid eyes on her, since they'd become one with each other, and he was anxious as hell to see her again. There was a chance she'd try to send him right back to Virginia on the first thing smoking, but he wasn't going to make it easy. A part of him was hoping she'd be so happy to see him she'd run and jump in his arms and they'd make love until sun up, saving the dreaded _'what now' _conversation until morning.

He looked around for the carry-on he'd packed earlier and it was nowhere in sight. He heard his brother calling him from downstairs and he stepped out into the hall and called back, "Hey! What did you did with my other bag?!"

"It's down here on your throne!" Stefan shouted. "Now, come on before you miss your flight!" Damon grabbed his suitcase and headed out of his bedroom. He was due to be on the first red-eye out of the Richmond airport in an hour and a half. He went downstairs and straight to the living-room but his throne chair was empty.

"Looking for this?" He heard to his right. He turned to see a mocha-skinned beauty with his bag slung over her arm, smirking at him before she dropped it on the floor. "You know I've always found Louis Vuitton luggage to be very...pretentious."

"Bonnie." Damon could not believe his eyes. She was there, standing in his living-room, smiling at him.

"The one and only."

Damon looked out toward the door and saw his brother standing there, a smile on his face. Stefan gave a small nod and stepped out of the door. It was obvious he had never actually intended to take Damon to the airport, and now he wasn't intending on coming home the rest of the night.

Damon looked back at Bonnie, and his shock melted into joy, and a smile cracked his face. He hadn't realized how much he really had missed her until this moment. He spread his arms wide and she started toward him. Meeting halfway, she fell into his arms and he locked her in a tight embrace. "I can't believe you're here," he said, his voice muffled by her hair, which she wore much longer than the last time he'd seen her.

"I'm here," she declared, still holding onto him. "And I'm here to stay. I promise."


End file.
